Scott County Jail

Go to Scott County Inmate Search and search the last name. It shows who is held and the charge. Give a new booking a few hours to appear.

The Sheriff's Office at 423-663-2245 can help with the rest. Have his full legal name and birth date ready.

The jail and the Sheriff's Office are at 575 Scott High Drive. The county courthouse is at 2845 Baker Highway in Huntsville, 423-663-2000. Court money and hearing dates go through the courthouse offices; custody questions go to the Sheriff's Office.

A judge or magistrate, deciding for the individual. Tennessee Code 40-11-105 says a person arrested on a bailable offense is entitled to be admitted to bail. An officer can only take bail and release the person after it has been set (40-11-106).

Only the court can change the amount.

Yes. A cash deposit under 40-11-118 equals the bail, and it goes to the court clerk. The clerk may accept debit cards or mobile cash apps and bill the payer for the fee.

The Circuit Court Clerk is at 423-663-2440. Ask which payments the office takes and what to do after closing time.

Roughly 10 percent of the bond for a Tennessee resident, based on 40-11-151, or 10 to 15 percent for a nonresident. A 5 initiation fee and a 2 bail tax can be added.

Collect a duplicate receipt for every payment. The premium is not returned.

Look for the license from the Board of Professional Bondsmen (40-11-321) and ask for proof that the courts of the Eighth Judicial District, which includes Scott County, approve that bondsman. Any collateral beyond the premium has to be recorded on a written receipt with redemption instructions, and a bondsman cannot surrender the defendant without good cause.

Real estate in Tennessee qualifies. The court reviews ownership papers before release, so it is slower than cash. The Circuit Court Clerk at 423-663-2440 can say what the Scott County court needs. A written agreement of two sufficient sureties who are not bondsmen or attorneys is another form of bail.

Under 40-11-118(b): length of residence, work history and finances, family ties, character and mental condition, record and past court attendance, the nature of the charge, the likely sentence and any danger shown by the record. Lawful presence in the state is one more item.

Someone who vouches for a defendant may do so for no more than two defendants at a time.

The judge starts there. Under 40-11-115(b), release on the person's own promise or an unsecured bond comes first, and money bail is used only when lesser conditions will not reasonably assure appearance (40-11-117). Conditions must be the least onerous that will work (40-11-116).

Bring proof of a job and a place to live.

He may have a hold from another county, a probation matter, or a 12-hour domestic or stalking hold under 40-11-150. Capital charges cannot be bailed under Article I, section 15 of the constitution.

Ask the Sheriff's Office at 423-663-2245.

Twelve hours in covered cases unless the official finds no threat to the victim. If the case involves strangulation, serious injury or a deadly weapon in an aggravated assault, up to 24 hours, with a no-contact order and GPS monitoring required before bond.

Sometimes. An ignition interlock can be required under 40-11-118(d) for certain alcohol cases, and repeat alcohol offenders can be required to wear a transdermal alcohol monitor at their own cost.

The arrested person is brought before a magistrate "without unnecessary delay." The magistrate explains the charge and the rights to counsel and silence. A felony preliminary hearing is set within 14 days for a person held in jail or 30 days for a person released.

To ask for a court-appointed lawyer, speak to the judge. The Eighth Judicial District public defender is at 423-563-9701.

Town officers make arrests inside their limits. Ask for the report number and the facility name, then check Scott County Inmate Search. A hold from another agency can delay release even after bail is paid.

Scott County runs the Scott County Juvenile Detention Center at 195 Firehall Drive, Suite 103, Huntsville, 423-663-3017. Call it to learn whether a child is held there and when the detention hearing is.

Parents are expected to attend. A juvenile never shows up in the adult search.

No. Phone and store money stays on the account. Real bail moves only through the clerk, a bondsman or a property bond. Do not respond to messages promising a faster release for a fee.

A no-show gives the court power to forfeit the bond (40-11-139, 40-11-201) and order an arrest. A cash depositor can lose the deposit, and a bondsman may surrender the person (40-11-132). Phone the clerk the same day.

After the conditions are met and the defendant is discharged, the clerk returns it (40-11-119), once fines and court costs are subtracted (40-11-121). A surety carries no duty to pay fines, costs or restitution unless the bond lists them and the surety signed on to it (40-11-118(c)).

• Jail: Scott County Jail, 575 Scott High Drive, Huntsville, TN 37756; 423-663-2245
• Custody lookup: Scott County Inmate Search
• Courthouse: 2845 Baker Highway, Huntsville, TN 37756; 423-663-2000
• Circuit Court Clerk: 423-663-2440
• General Sessions judge: 423-569-9141
• Juvenile detention: Scott County Juvenile Detention Center, 195 Firehall Drive, Suite 103, Huntsville; 423-663-3017
• Public defender: Eighth Judicial District, 423-563-9701
• Bond help: bail instructions for Scott County

Numbers, hours and fees can change, and a judge decides each case individually. Contact the office first before you carry payment to Huntsville. This guide gives background only and is not legal advice.

An arrest in Scott County begins a legal process that can be difficult to follow if you have never dealt with Tennessee courts. The county seat is Huntsville, but the exact courtroom depends on whether the charge is a city ordinance violation, a misdemeanor, or a felony. The questions below cover court contacts, booking, release, misdemeanors, felonies, public defenders, penalties, juvenile proceedings, and federal cases.

Circuit Court Clerk — court filings and hearing information

Scott County Circuit Court Clerk — Listed office address: 575 Scott High Drive, Huntsville, TN 37756.

Circuit Court Clerk telephone: (423) 663-2440

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.

Scott County: the county seat is Huntsville. 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 Scott 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 clerk's office for the right name and number.

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 Scott 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 Scott 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 Huntsville 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 Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott 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 Scott 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 Huntsville or another town in Scott 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.

Scott County belongs to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee — Northern Division. The division’s listed courthouse is in Knoxville: 800 Market Street, Knoxville, TN 37902. 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 Scott 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.