Cumberland County Jail

Check Cumberland County Inmate Search first. A name that has dropped off the list usually means release, a transfer or a move to another status, and the record often shows which. People booked in the last few hours can take a while to appear.

For an answer the screen cannot give, call the Sheriff's Office at 931-484-6176. Ask whether an outside warrant or hold is attached, since that would keep him in even after bond.

The county holds its own pretrial inmates in the Cumberland County jail at 90 Justice Center Drive, Crossville, TN 38555. No one is routinely sent to a neighboring county. The Sheriff's Office telephone is 931-484-6176.

Cumberland County has judicial commissioners, appointed by the County Commission, who work with the General Sessions judge. They are the officials who normally review a new arrest and set bail and release terms. Tennessee Code 40-11-105 entitles a person arrested on a bailable offense to be admitted to bail, with a decision made for that individual.

A jailer cannot release anyone under a chart, and an officer can take bail only after it has been set (40-11-106). A General Sessions judge can revisit the amount later.

Tennessee cash bail equals the whole bail figure. Under 40-11-118(a)(1), the defendant deposits that exact number with the court clerk, and the clerk may take a debit card or payment app and pass its fee to the person paying.

The Circuit Court Clerk's office is at 60 Justice Center Drive, Crossville, and the clerk's line is 931-484-6647. After closing, ask the jail at 931-484-6176 how a deposit is accepted.

The fee is the bondsman's pay for guaranteeing the bond, and it is not refunded when the case ends. The consumer notice in Tennessee Code 40-11-151 says a Tennessee resident should pay about 10 percent of the bond, plus a $25 one-time initiation fee and a $12 bail tax.

Get a duplicate receipt. Any extra collateral must be written down item by item, with instructions for getting it back.

Ask for the Board of Professional Bondsmen license (Tennessee Code 40-11-321) and confirm the person is approved by the courts of this judicial district. Cumberland County belongs to the Thirteenth Judicial District, along with Clay, DeKalb, Overton, Pickett, Putnam and White counties.

Both approvals are required. A company missing the local one cannot write a Cumberland County bond.

Possibly not. Tennessee allows a bond secured by real estate located in Tennessee, along with the cash, two-surety and professional bondsman options. The property route is slower, since the court must examine the deed and any loans before a release order issues, and each owner has to sign.

Call the Circuit Court Clerk at 931-484-6647 to ask which forms the court wants brought in.

Section 40-11-118(b) names the factors: years in the community, job and finances, family ties, character and mental condition, prior record, history of showing up, the seriousness of the charge, the likely sentence and any danger to others. Community members can vouch for a defendant, but no one may vouch for more than two at once.

A steady address and proof of work help the most.

Sometimes. Tennessee Code 40-11-115(b) tells the court to look first at a release on the defendant's own recognizance or an unsecured bond. Next comes the "least onerous" set of conditions under 40-11-116. Money bail is reserved for cases where nothing else will assure a return (40-11-117).

Say so at the first appearance and ask for it by name.

Article I, section 15 of the state constitution puts capital charges outside the right to bail. An outstanding warrant elsewhere creates a hold. And certain domestic and stalking arrests carry a waiting period, 12 hours in most cases and up to 24 hours when an aggravated assault involved strangulation or a weapon (40-11-150).

The Sheriff's Office at 931-484-6176 can tell you which one is on the record.

It can. The court may order an ignition interlock device when a DUI involved a crash with property damage, a child in the vehicle, a prior suspension or a prior listed conviction, unless it finds the device would not serve justice (40-11-118(d)). A third or later alcohol DUI requires transdermal alcohol monitoring that the defendant pays for. Tampering with the device is a Class B misdemeanor.

Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 5 requires that the arrested person be brought before a magistrate "without unnecessary delay." The magistrate reads the charge, explains the right to counsel and silence, and sets conditions. A felony defendant who stays in jail gets a preliminary hearing within 14 days. A released defendant gets one within 30 days.

The public defender for the Thirteenth Judicial District takes appointments from the court. The office phone is 931-526-9141. Ask the judge for the appointment at the first hearing, then call with the case number.

City officers can arrest inside their town limits, including Crossville, Crab Orchard and Pleasant Hill. The jail in Crossville still serves the county, so the person is normally found on Cumberland County Inmate Search. If not, ask the arresting agency for a report number and the location of the person.

A teen is handled through juvenile court, not the adult docket, and a parent should call the court clerk first to learn whether the child is being held and when the detention hearing will take place. Juvenile records are confidential, so a child will not be on the adult search page.

Start with the Circuit Court Clerk at 931-484-6647, who can point you to the right office.

No. Funds for calls or snacks never leave his jail account. Bail is paid to the clerk, to a bondsman or by property bond. Nobody who contacts you through social media can legitimately post it for a fee.

The court can declare the bond forfeited under 40-11-139 and 40-11-201 and issue an arrest order. A surety can end its risk by surrendering the defendant (40-11-132).

On a good outcome, 40-11-119 requires the clerk to return the cash deposit after discharge. First, 40-11-121 applies it to fines and costs. A surety does not owe fines, costs or restitution unless the bond says so (40-11-118(c)).

• Jail: Cumberland County jail, 90 Justice Center Drive, Crossville, TN 38555; 931-484-6176
• Custody lookup: Cumberland County Inmate Search
• Circuit Court: 60 Justice Center Drive, Crossville, TN 38555; 931-484-6647
• Public defender: Thirteenth Judicial District, 931-526-9141
• Bond help: Cumberland County bail and bond instructions

Hours, amounts and numbers can shift, and a judge may impose conditions this page does not mention. Phone before you travel with cash. The information here is general and is not legal advice.

You may be trying to locate a loved one in Cumberland County while also worrying about bail, an attorney, and the next hearing. The county seat is Crossville, but the exact courtroom depends on whether the charge is a city ordinance violation, a misdemeanor, or a felony. The answers below follow the path from custody and first hearings through possible trial and sentencing, including federal charges and where to find legal help.

Circuit Court Clerk — court filings and hearing information

Cumberland County Circuit Court Clerk — Listed office address: 60 Justice Center Drive Suite 300, Crossville, TN 38555.

Circuit Court Clerk telephone: (931) 484-6647

Circuit clerks handle many criminal and civil filings. Chancery Courts usually address civil and equity matters, while General Sessions Courts handle many initial criminal hearings. Call the applicable clerk for the specific courtroom assignment.

Cumberland County: the county seat is Crossville. Tennessee General Sessions Court ordinarily handles initial criminal appearances, misdemeanor proceedings within its authority, and felony preliminary hearings. Felony jury trials are heard in the Circuit or Criminal Court serving Cumberland County. The Circuit Court Clerk is responsible for criminal filings and records in courts assigned to that clerk; some Tennessee counties have separate criminal clerks.

Courthouse and court clerk contacts

• Circuit Court Clerk, 60 Justice Center Drive, Suite 300, Crossville, TN 38555, 931-484-5852
• Clerk and Master (Chancery), 60 Justice Center Drive, Suite 226, Crossville, TN 38555, 931-484-4731
• Crossville City Court Clerk, 99 Municipal Avenue, Crossville, TN 38555, 931-484-7231

Chancery Court generally hears civil matters such as certain family, property, estate, and business disputes; a Chancery clerk is not a substitute for the criminal clerk. The exact court named on a summons controls where the hearing takes place.

After a custodial arrest in Cumberland County, the arresting agency arranges booking and detention. The person may be housed in a county facility or another authorized jail under an established custody arrangement.

Booking may include identification, fingerprints, a photograph, a property inventory, and a medical or mental-health screening. The defendant is then brought before the proper judicial officer for a probable-cause and release decision as required by law. A family member should write down the full legal name, booking number if known, charges, and scheduled hearing.

A judge or authorized magistrate decides whether someone charged in Cumberland County can go home before trial and under what conditions. Release on recognizance means there is no up-front bond payment; other orders may require a cash deposit, surety, supervision, travel restrictions, or no contact with another person. Commercial bonding is permitted in Tennessee, but a bondsman cannot decide the court’s bond amount.

If the order allows payment, first establish whether the court or jail collects the money, the exact amount, and whether another hold prevents release. A paid bond does not erase the charges and missing court can lead to forfeiture and arrest.

Many less serious cases in Crossville begin in General Sessions Court. A prosecutor can discuss a plea, dismissal or diversion; not every offense qualifies. A defendant does not receive a full jury trial in General Sessions Court, and a final misdemeanor decision there requires appropriate consent or waiver under Tennessee law. The case may instead proceed in a court with jury-trial authority.

Maximum misdemeanor punishments

• Class A misdemeanor: up to 11 months and 29 days in jail, a fine up to $2,500, or both.
• Class B misdemeanor: up to 6 months and/or a fine up to $500.
• Class C misdemeanor: up to 30 days and/or a fine up to $50.

These are the usual class limits under Tenn. Code § 40-35-111, not promised outcomes. DUI, domestic assault and other offenses can add required fees, treatment, jail minimums, or enhanced penalties based on earlier convictions.

A felony complaint arising in Cumberland County may start before a General Sessions judge for the initial appearance and preliminary hearing. That hearing tests whether there is enough evidence to continue; it does not decide guilt. A grand jury may indict and the case then moves to the county’s Circuit or Criminal Court. Tennessee also provides other lawful charging routes and waivers in limited circumstances.

After formal charges, the defense can obtain discovery, seek hearings on contested evidence, negotiate a plea, or request trial. A serious felony trial typically uses a twelve-person jury. Felony cases can take substantially longer than minor citations, so hearing notices and attorney communications matter.

A homicide, robbery, rape, or aggravated-assault accusation in Cumberland County brings particularly serious release and sentencing questions. Judges examine the actual charge and lawful detention criteria; no family should assume that paying a bond automatically means release if there are warrants or other holds.

For example, Tennessee treats many intentional aggravated assaults involving serious bodily injury or a deadly weapon as Class C felonies, with a statutory class range of 3–15 years. Some forms are Class B or D, and the aggravated-assault statute separately caps the ordinary offense fine at $15,000. Murder and other offenses have special sentencing statutes beyond the ordinary felony chart. Defense counsel should review the exact subsection charged.

For a child under 18 accused of wrongdoing in Cumberland County, the juvenile-court process is different from an adult prosecution. Police or an intake officer may refer the complaint for informal services or ask the juvenile court to hear it. Detention is a separate decision and does not necessarily mean the child has been found delinquent.

A juvenile judge can consider supervision, treatment, community services, restitution, and placement when legally authorized. In especially serious cases, Tennessee law permits transfer proceedings to adult criminal court after a hearing and required findings. Families should ask promptly about appointed counsel, the detention hearing and any restrictions on release of a minor's records.

The punishment depends on the precise statute, offense date, prior record, and any mandatory or alternative-sentence rules. For crimes governed by ordinary Tennessee classification ranges, the overall imprisonment and usual maximum fines are:

• Class A: 15–60 years; ordinary fine ceiling $50,000.
• Class B: 8–30 years; ordinary fine ceiling $25,000.
• Class C: 3–15 years; ordinary fine ceiling $10,000.
• Class D: 2–12 years; ordinary fine ceiling $5,000.
• Class E: 1–6 years; ordinary fine ceiling $3,000.
• Class A misdemeanor: up to 11 months and 29 days in jail, a fine up to $2,500, or both.
• Class B misdemeanor: up to 6 months and/or a fine up to $500.
• Class C misdemeanor: up to 30 days and/or a fine up to $50.

A court may impose probation, diversion, restitution, treatment or a suspended sentence when the law permits. Tennessee’s felony offender-range rules narrow the sentence within the broader class range; special laws and prior violent convictions can change release eligibility. County jail and state prison are not interchangeable labels for every sentence.

Someone facing a criminal case in Cumberland County who cannot afford a private defense attorney may ask the judge for appointed counsel. The court reviews an affidavit or other proof about income, assets and ability to pay. An appointment can be through a district public defender or a conflict lawyer when the public defender cannot handle the case.

At the first hearing, the defendant should clearly say they want a lawyer and cannot afford one. A family member can help gather pay information and court papers but cannot waive the defendant’s rights for them. Tennessee has elected district public defenders, and their service areas can cross county borders.

Police in Crossville or another town in Cumberland County may issue a city citation rather than a county criminal warrant. Some Tennessee municipal courts handle ordinance violations and limited traffic matters; their powers depend on the local charter and state law. Serious criminal charges do not become city-court felonies merely because city police made the arrest.

Check the court name actually printed on the summons. If a charge carries criminal jail exposure, ask a lawyer whether the municipal court has authority over it and whether the case is before a General Sessions or state criminal court instead.

Cumberland County belongs to the United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee — Cookeville Division. The division’s listed courthouse is in Cookeville: 9 E Broad Street, Cookeville, TN 38501. A federal criminal case might involve interstate fraud, offenses on federal property, federal drug trafficking, some firearms offenses, or violations of federal criminal statutes. A state offense does not automatically become federal because it is serious.

Federal defendants may appear before a U.S. magistrate judge for detention and preliminary proceedings; felony cases usually proceed through indictment or another permitted federal charging process, followed by arraignment and trial or plea. Federal prison sentences are administered by the Bureau of Prisons. People awaiting trial or transfer may be held in a contracted or local detention center rather than a prison operated by BOP. Families can search the official Federal Bureau of Prisons inmate locator for eligible federal inmate records.

This Cumberland County guide offers general criminal-court information, not advice for a particular defendant. Law and court operations may change; a lawyer can explain the charge and next steps in the actual case.