A criminal case ends in court, but the record can follow you much longer, showing up on background checks years after the sentence is finished. Turnbow Law, a Mt. Juliet criminal defense practice led by Chad Turnbow, Esq., helps Middle Tennessee clients understand those long-term consequences before they decide how to resolve a case. Below are six areas where a record commonly causes problems, the laws behind each one, and a list of local attorneys who handle criminal matters.
How can a criminal record affect your life in Tennessee?
Will a criminal record show up on job background checks?
Convictions usually will. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, background screening companies can report convictions indefinitely, while arrests that didn’t lead to a conviction generally drop off after seven years for most jobs. Before rejecting you based on a report, an employer must give you a copy of it and a chance to respond. Tennessee also offers a Certificate of Employability, a court-issued document under Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-29-107 that can help reassure employers.
Can a conviction cost you a professional or commercial license?
Yes. Licensing boards for nurses, real estate agents, and many other professions ask about convictions and can deny, suspend, or discipline a license. Commercial drivers face strict federal rules. Under 49 C.F.R. § 383.51, a first DUI conviction disqualifies a CDL holder for at least one year, even if the offense happened in a personal vehicle.
Can a landlord turn you down because of a record?
Often, yes. Most private landlords run criminal screenings. HUD guidance warns that blanket bans on anyone with a record can violate the Fair Housing Act, but landlords can still weigh the nature and timing of an offense. Federally assisted housing carries lifetime bans for people subject to lifetime sex offender registration and for anyone convicted of making methamphetamine in public housing.
How does a record affect child custody in Tennessee?
It can change a parenting plan. Tennessee judges decide custody using the best-interest factors in Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-6-106, which include evidence of abuse and each parent’s conduct. A domestic violence conviction can lead to supervised visitation or reduced parenting time, and a drug conviction often brings testing requirements.
Do you lose gun or voting rights?
A felony conviction in Tennessee takes away both. Getting your voting rights back generally requires finishing your sentence and paying restitution, court costs, and any child support owed, and the process has become stricter in recent years. A misdemeanor domestic violence conviction also bars firearm possession under federal law, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9), even though the offense isn’t a felony.
Will a record affect college or financial aid?
Less than it used to. Since the 2023-24 award year, the FAFSA no longer asks about drug convictions, and those convictions no longer affect eligibility for federal student aid. Colleges may still ask about criminal history on applications or for campus housing. Some programs, such as nursing, also check records before clinical placements.
Which Middle Tennessee attorneys handle criminal cases?
- Turnbow Law
- Ingrum Law Firm
- Edwards & Edwards
- John Chadwick Long
- Blake Kelley
1. Turnbow Law
Chad Turnbow, Esq. leads Turnbow Law, which represents clients facing misdemeanor and felony charges across Middle Tennessee, including Mt. Juliet, Lebanon, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Portland, and Nashville. Its criminal defense work covers DUI, drug charges, assault and violent crimes, domestic violence, theft and property crimes, probation violations, and juvenile cases. The long-term effects of a record are often what clients worry about most. The firm can explain how a plea, judicial diversion, or dismissal is likely to appear on a background check, and whether expungement may be available later. Turnbow Law also handles probate and estate planning. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case.
2. Ingrum Law Firm
Ingrum Law Firm is a Gallatin law firm whose practice includes criminal law.
3. Edwards & Edwards
Edwards & Edwards is a Hendersonville law firm whose practice includes criminal matters.
4. John Chadwick Long
John Chadwick Long is a Gallatin attorney whose practice includes criminal law.
5. Blake Kelley
Blake Kelley is a Nashville attorney whose practice includes criminal defense.
Can the effects of a criminal record be reduced?
Often, yes. Tennessee allows dismissed charges and completed diversions to be expunged, meaning removed from public records. Some convictions also become eligible after a waiting period, typically five years after the sentence ends. More of these options tend to be available when they’re considered early, ideally before a plea is entered. If you’re weighing a plea or want to know whether an old record can be cleared, contact Turnbow Law to talk through your options.
This article offers general information and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
