Obion County Jail

Use the Obion County Inmate Search and search the last name. A hit shows the charge and the bond. If the booking is recent, wait a bit and run it again.

For anything the search leaves out, call the Sheriff's Department at 731-885-5832.

In its own jail at 1 Law Lane, Union City, TN 38261, operated by the Sheriff's Department. Arrests in Union City, Kenton, Troy, Obion or South Fulton end up there, so nobody is sent to another county.

On Bill Burnett Circle in Union City. General Sessions is at No. 9, Circuit Court at No. 7, Chancery at No. 6 and Juvenile Court at No. 10. The clerks keep hours Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Dial 731-507-0999 and press 1, then 2 for General Sessions. For Circuit Court, press 1, then 1.

A judge or magistrate. Tennessee Code 40-11-105 says someone arrested for a bailable offense is entitled to bail, and the amount is set for that person, not read off a list. Jail staff release a person only after bail exists (40-11-106).

The Circuit and General Sessions Clerk's Office keeps bonding agent records. Statewide, the Board of Professional Bondsmen licenses bondsmen (40-11-321) and each judicial district approves them. Obion County belongs to the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District.

Phone the clerk at 731-507-0999 if you need to ask whether an agent is on file.

For a Tennessee resident, roughly 10 percent of the bond. Someone from out of state may pay 10 to 15 percent. The law also allows a single $25 initiation fee and a $12 bail tax (40-11-151).

None of that comes back when the case closes, so save the receipts.

Collateral over and above the premium must be recorded on a written receipt naming each item and explaining how you redeem it. Do not leave anything without that paper.

In-state real estate is one of four recognized bail forms. The others are cash, a bondsman, and a written promise from two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or attorneys (Attorney General Opinion 03-054).

Title review slows things down. Ask the Circuit Court Clerk at 731-507-0999 what paperwork Obion County wants.

The full bail amount is deposited with the court clerk (40-11-118). A clerk may take a debit card or a mobile cash app and pass the fee to the payer.

Payments toward court costs are separate. The clerk accepts cash, cashier's checks, money orders and cards for costs, but personal checks are refused.

Section 40-11-118(b): length of residence, job and money, family ties, character and mental condition, record, attendance history, the offense, the possible sentence and danger shown by the record. Lawful presence in Tennessee is also considered.

A voucher can support two defendants at the most.

The court must consider it first. Release on recognizance or an unsecured bond comes ahead of money bail (40-11-115(b)), followed by the least onerous conditions (40-11-116). Money is for cases that those steps will not cover (40-11-117).

Capital offenses (Tennessee Constitution, Article I, section 15). A probation hold or a warrant from another county can also keep someone inside after money is paid. Article I, section 16 forbids excessive bail.

Section 40-11-150 prevents release in stalking and listed domestic cases within 12 hours of arrest unless the official finds no threat to the victim. Aggravated assault with strangulation, serious injury or a deadly weapon can extend that to 24 hours, and a no-contact order and GPS monitoring come before bond.

An ignition interlock may be a condition (40-11-118(d)) after a crash with property damage, a child in the car or a prior conviction. Repeat offenders can be put on transdermal alcohol monitoring and pay for it. Tampering is a Class B misdemeanor.

The person is brought before a magistrate without unnecessary delay (Tenn. R. Crim. P. 5). The judge explains the charge and the rights to counsel and silence. In a felony case, no plea is taken then.

The preliminary hearing comes within 14 days for someone in jail and within 30 days for someone out on bond.

Request a court-appointed attorney at the first hearing. The Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Public Defender serves Obion County at 731-364-2312.

Obion County Juvenile Court, 10 Bill Burnett Circle, Union City. The clerk's office is reached through 731-507-0999, pressing 1, then 4. The Juvenile Court judge's line is 731-885-4550.

Juvenile files are private and do not show up in the adult inmate search.

No. Money for the jail store or phone calls is spending money inside the jail. Bail goes through the court clerk, a bonding agent or a property bond only.

The judge can forfeit the bond under 40-11-139 and 40-11-201 and order an arrest. Cash can be lost. A bonding agent can surrender the defendant (40-11-132). Call the clerk at 731-507-0999 the same day.

After the defendant is discharged, the clerk returns it (40-11-119), but fines and costs are deducted first (40-11-121). A surety owes fines, costs or restitution only if the bond says so and the surety agreed (40-11-118(c)).

• Jail: Obion County Jail, 1 Law Lane, Union City, TN 38261; Sheriff's Department 731-885-5832
• Custody lookup: Obion County Inmate Search
• Courts and clerks: Bill Burnett Circle, Union City; 731-507-0999; Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• General Sessions Court: 9 Bill Burnett Circle; extension 1, then 2
• Juvenile Court judge: 731-885-4550
• Public defender: Twenty-Seventh Judicial District, 731-364-2312
• Bond help: bail instructions for the Obion County jail

Lines, hours and fees can change, and each case is judged on its own facts. Verify with the clerk or the Sheriff's Department first. This is general information and not legal advice.

You may be trying to locate a loved one in Obion County while also worrying about bail, an attorney, and the next hearing. The county seat is Union City, 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

Obion County Circuit Court Clerk — Listed office address: 7 Bill Burnett Circle, Union City, TN 38281.

Circuit Court Clerk telephone: (731) 507-0999

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.

Obion County: the county seat is Union City. 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 Obion 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

For other trial-court branches, call the clerks at 731-507-0999.

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 Obion 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 Obion 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 Union City 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 Obion 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 Obion 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 Obion 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 Obion 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 Union City or another town in Obion 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.

Obion County belongs to the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee — Jackson / Dyersburg Division. The division’s listed courthouse is in Jackson / Dyersburg: 111 S Highland Avenue, Jackson, TN 38301. 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 Obion 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.