Criminal Defense Case Results in Rutherford, TN

Charge

Stalking - Class A Misdemeanor

Location

Rutherford County, None

Allegations

After a heated text argument with a partner, our client learned there was a warrant and voluntarily turned themselves in on a misdemeanor stalking charge. We obtained the police report and sworn affidavit, which described a burst of messages confined to a single day while the two were in separate locations, with no continuing conduct alleged. We gathered proof of the client’s prompt counseling efforts and organized the full context of the dispute. The complainant informed prosecutors they did not wish to proceed. Relying on these points, the state dismissed the case.

Charge

Reckless Driving

Location

Rutherford County, Murfreesboro City \u200bCourt.

Allegations

The client was cited after being clocked at roughly 40 mph over the limit. The officer added a reckless driving charge, citing low visibility and surrounding traffic. There was no arrest, only a ticket. We obtained the citation and report and engaged the local court, where no prosecutor was assigned. We pressed the evidentiary burden for reckless beyond speed alone and highlighted the client’s clean recent record. After negotiations at the hearing with court staff and the officer, the reckless charge was dismissed.

Charge

Speeding

Location

Rutherford County, Murfreesboro City Court

Allegations

During a routine traffic stop our client was cited for alleged excessive speed. We obtained the citation and officer’s notes, then pulled the client’s driving record to confirm there were no recent points. We opened discussions with the city attorney and pressed mitigation based on the circumstances and the client’s clean history. After persistent follow up, including meeting the court’s requirement for original signatures, the prosecution agreed to drop the speeding citation. The case ended in a complete dismissal.

Charge

Theft of Property ($1,000 or Less)

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Bennett

Allegations

A plate reader flagged the vehicle for a stolen tag, and officers approached while the car was parked. The client admitted taking a plate from a disabled vehicle during a rough patch, and the case was filed as theft under $1,000. We confirmed the exact charge through official records, reviewed the reports and available video, and pushed back on any overstatement of the conduct. In talks with the prosecutor we highlighted the low value, cooperation, and minimal history. The case resolved with a plea to straight probation, avoiding jail.

Charge

DUI - First Offense

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Hall McFarlin III

Allegations

On an icy night our client’s truck tipped onto its side. After officers helped right the vehicle and allowed him to leave, a slip of the clutch led to a minor collision and a DUI arrest. He performed roadside tests, then officers obtained a warrant and drew blood. We obtained the body cam video and lab packet, emphasizing that he appeared sober and that officers initially let him drive. Leveraging those issues and his compliance on bond, we negotiated a plea to straight probation so he could keep working while completing court conditions.

Charge

Evading Arrest in a Motor Vehicle

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Bennett

Allegations

After a family dispute, officers were called and later tried to stop the client while driving. The client reported only noticing the lights late and continued while looking for a safe place to pull over due to hazardous road conditions, then went home. Days later, police arrested him and questioned him without Miranda warnings, leading to an admission. We challenged the state on driver identification, demanded the video evidence, and prepared to litigate suppression and a preliminary hearing. Facing these issues, the prosecution dismissed the case.

Charge

DUI - First Offense

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Bennett

Allegations

Police approached our client while parked in a private lot for a welfare check, then claimed an odor of alcohol and turned it into a DUI investigation. The officer pressed for a vehicle search even though consent was unclear. The client declined field sobriety tests and a breath test, and a blood draw was obtained hours later by warrant. We obtained the videos, reports, and toxicology, and challenged the escalation, the search basis, and the delay before the draw. Faced with those issues, the prosecution reduced the charge and accepted straight probation.

Charge

Unlawful Use of Drug Paraphernalia

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Bennett

Allegations

The client was approached in a parked vehicle during a welfare check in a private lot. Additional officers arrived, claimed to smell alcohol or marijuana, ordered the client out, and searched the car. They reported finding a small item they labeled as drug paraphernalia. We pulled the bodycam and reports, pinpointing the absence of clear consent and the thin basis for expanding a welfare check into a search. After we pressed those suppression issues and signaled we were prepared to litigate, the state dismissed the paraphernalia charge.

Charge

Driving Under the Influence

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Bennett

Allegations

Police arrested our client for DUI after a two-car collision, administering roadside tests and later securing a warrant for a hospital blood draw. From day one we documented the client's account that wet roads, a damaged tire, and fatigue played a major role in the crash. We demanded the body camera footage, the warrant and medical records, and full lab data. We challenged the reliability of the field testing and insisted on strict proof of the blood's handling and analysis. Facing those evidentiary issues and without definitive lab results, the state dismissed the case.

Charge

Assault - Misdemeanor

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Chancellor Howard Wilson

Allegations

At a loading dock, a man yanked open our client’s truck door, shouted threats, and was struck when the client reflexively pushed the door. Police responded but did not arrest, and the charge was filed later by the complainant. We stepped in close to trial, secured a continuance, reviewed reports and photos showing a linear injury consistent with a door strike, visited the site, and used an investigator to track down former employees. We pressed these issues with the prosecution. Weighing trial risks, the client accepted probation with monthly check-ins.

Charge

Possession or Distribution of Alcohol by a Person Under 21

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Bennett

Allegations

The case stemmed from a traffic stop where officers questioned our client about alcohol in the vehicle. He acknowledged purchasing it earlier, the officers poured it out and released him. The next day a separate charge was filed alleging possession or distribution of alcohol by a person under 21. We moved quickly, obtained the police report, and focused on the lack of preserved evidence and any proof he furnished alcohol to anyone. After pressing these issues with the prosecutor and preparing to litigate them, the state dismissed the case.

Charge

Driving on Roadways Laned for Traffic

Location

Rutherford County, Judge Ben Hall McFarlin III

Allegations

A traffic unit stopped our client after alleging the vehicle failed to maintain a single lane. The citation was filed as Driving on Roadways Laned for Traffic alongside a related investigation. We examined the report language and the officer's description of any lane drift against what the statute actually requires. We pressed the state on whether the brief deviation described created a safety risk and whether the stop observations were consistent. With those weaknesses on the table and our readiness to litigate, the prosecutor agreed to reduce the charge.