Hawkins County Detention Center

Start with Hawkins County Inmate Search. Type the last name first if the first try shows nothing. A person booked within the last hour or two may not appear yet, so look again later in the day.

For anything the screen cannot answer, call the Sheriff's Office at 423-272-4848. Sheriff Scott Stewart's office is in Suite 1304 of the Justice Center. Know the person's full legal name and birth date before you call.

A judge or magistrate sets it. Under Tennessee Code 40-11-105, a person arrested on a bailable offense is entitled to be admitted to bail, and the decision must be made for that individual. A jailer cannot simply read a number off a chart and release someone, and an officer may take bail only after it has been set (40-11-106).

The General Sessions judge's office is at 115 Justice Center Drive, 423-272-3300. Court staff there can tell you the next hearing date.

Cash bail is the full amount, not a slice of it. Under 40-11-118, a defendant whose bail is set may deposit that exact figure with the court clerk, and the clerk may take debit cards or mobile cash apps and pass its processing fee to the payer. The Circuit Court Clerk's office is Suite 1237 at 115 Justice Center Drive, 423-272-3397.

Because the clerk keeps office hours, ask the Sheriff's Office at 423-272-4848 how a payment is handled when the clerk is closed. Get a written receipt every time.

No. A bondsman is one of four ways to post a bond in Tennessee. The others are cash, real estate in Tennessee, or two sufficient sureties who are not professional bondsmen or lawyers.

Under Tennessee Code 40-11-151, the premium for a Tennessee resident should be about 10 percent of the bond, plus a one-time $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax. Ask for a receipt for each charge.

Ask for the license. Professional bondsmen are licensed by the Board of Professional Bondsmen under 40-11-321, and each must also be approved by the courts of the judicial district where he or she writes bonds. Hawkins County is in the Third Judicial District. A bondsman who is not approved there cannot write your bond.

Collateral beyond the fee requires a written receipt that describes each item and how to redeem it.

Yes, if the property is real estate in Tennessee. It is slower than cash because the court has to review the papers before the person walks out. The Circuit Court Clerk at 423-272-3397 can tell you what the Hawkins County court requires for a property bond and which forms to bring.

Every owner has to sign, and title must be clear.

Section 40-11-118(b) lists the factors: how long the person has lived here, job history and finances, family ties, character and mental condition, prior record and past court appearances, the nature of the charge, and whether the record shows danger to anyone. A responsible community member may vouch for the person, but nobody can vouch for more than two defendants at one time.

Bring proof of a job and a home address to the first hearing.

Sometimes. Under 40-11-115(b), the court looks first at release on the defendant's own promise or an unsecured bond, weighing ties to the community, work and record. Money bail comes in only when lesser conditions will not reasonably assure that the person returns (40-11-117), and the court must use the least onerous conditions that will do the job (40-11-116).

Ask the judge directly at the first appearance for release without money. A lawyer can make the request stronger.

Three common reasons. A capital charge is not bailable under Article I, section 15 of the Tennessee Constitution. A hold from another agency, such as a warrant from another county, stops release even after bail is paid. And a domestic or stalking arrest can carry a hold of 12 hours before release, described in the next answer.

Ask the Sheriff's Office at 423-272-4848 which one applies.

Under 40-11-150, a person arrested for stalking or certain domestic offenses may not be released within 12 hours of arrest unless the official finds no threat to the victim. If there is probable cause of serious bodily injury or a deadly weapon, the 12-hour hold applies and a no-contact order is required before bond. In an aggravated assault case with strangulation or a weapon, the hold can run up to 24 hours.

Release conditions can include no contact, no firearms and GPS monitoring.

Possibly. Section 40-11-118(d) calls for an ignition interlock device on certain alcohol-related cases, such as a crash with property damage, a child in the car, or a prior listed conviction, unless the judge finds it would not serve justice. A third or later alcohol DUI can require transdermal alcohol monitoring that the defendant pays for.

The person is brought before a magistrate "without unnecessary delay," as Tennessee Rule of Criminal Procedure 5 puts it. The magistrate explains the charge, the right to a lawyer and the right to stay silent. For a felony, a preliminary hearing is set within 14 days if the person stays in jail, or within 30 days if released.

A person who cannot afford a lawyer can ask the judge for one. The public defender for the Third Judicial District, which covers Hawkins County, answers at 423-587-7053.

The Hawkins County Courthouse is at 150 East Washington Street in Rogersville, 423-272-7359. Most criminal business now runs from the Justice Center on Justice Center Drive: the Circuit Court Clerk in Suite 1237, General Sessions in Suite 1222 and Juvenile Court in Suite 1207, all at number 115.

If you are unsure where a hearing is, call General Sessions at 423-272-3300 before you drive.

Hawkins County has several towns, including Rogersville, Church Hill, Surgoinsville, Bulls Gap and Mount Carmel, and part of Kingsport lies in the county. Each town's officers make arrests inside its limits. Ask the arresting department for the name of the jail and a report number, then check Hawkins County Inmate Search.

Juvenile cases go to Hawkins County Juvenile Court, Suite 1207 at 115 Justice Center Drive, 423-272-2904. Court staff can tell you whether a child is being held, where, and when the detention hearing is.

A juvenile record is not public, so the adult search above will not list a child.

No. Money added for phone calls or commissary stays on the account and never reaches the court. Bail goes to the clerk, to a bondsman, or by property bond. Never send either payment to someone who contacts you by text or social media.

The court can declare the bond forfeited under 40-11-139 and 40-11-201, and the person can be arrested on a capias. A cash depositor risks the deposit. Call the Circuit Court Clerk the same day at 423-272-3397 to learn what the court requires next.

Under 40-11-119, the clerk returns a cash deposit once the bond conditions are met and the defendant is discharged. Under 40-11-121, the deposit is applied first to fines and court costs, so a smaller refund is normal. A surety is not liable for fines, costs or restitution unless the bond says so, and never without the surety's consent (40-11-118(c)).

• Jail: Hawkins County Detention Center, Justice Center, 117 Justice Center Drive, Rogersville, TN 37857; 423-272-4848
• Custody lookup: Hawkins County Inmate Search
• Courthouse: 150 East Washington Street, Rogersville, TN 37857; 423-272-7359
• Circuit Court Clerk: 115 Justice Center Drive, Suite 1237; 423-272-3397
• General Sessions: 115 Justice Center Drive, Suite 1222; 423-272-3300
• Juvenile Court: 115 Justice Center Drive, Suite 1207; 423-272-2904
• Public defender: Third Judicial District, 423-587-7053
• Bond help: Hawkins County bail and bond instructions

Amounts, hours and phone numbers change, and a judge can order terms that differ from what is described here. Call the office before you carry money anywhere. This guide explains the process and is not legal advice.

If someone close to you has been arrested in Hawkins County, the questions that matter first are where that person is being held and when a judge will see the case. The county seat is Rogersville, but the exact courtroom depends on whether the charge is a city ordinance violation, a misdemeanor, or a felony. This guide explains the first appearance, the difference between minor and serious charges, court locations, lawyers, sentencing, juvenile cases, and federal prosecutions.

Circuit Court Clerk — court filings and hearing information

Hawkins County Circuit Court Clerk — Listed office address: 115 Justice Center Drive Suite 1237, Rogersville, TN 37857.

Circuit Court Clerk telephone: (423) 272-3397

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.

Hawkins County: the county seat is Rogersville. 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 Hawkins 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

Call the clerk above for any other court office.

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 Hawkins 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 Hawkins 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 Rogersville 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 Hawkins 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 Hawkins 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 Hawkins 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 Hawkins 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 Rogersville or another town in Hawkins 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.

Hawkins County belongs to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee — Northeastern Division. The division’s listed courthouse is in Greeneville: 220 West Depot Street, Greeneville, TN 37743. 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 Hawkins 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.