Nashville Felony Attorney

Felonies in Tennessee

Class A Felony TN

• Class A felonies are the most serious level of felonies in Tennessee. Class A felonies are punishable by 15-60 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000. An example of a Class A felony is aggravated rape (rape that causes injury to the alleged victim or where the defendant is aided by a weapon or others).

Class B Felony TN

• Class B felonies also entail significant years in jail. More specifically, they are punishable by 8-30 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. Aggravated burglary (burglary that results in serious bodily injury) is an example of a Class B felony.

Class C Felony TN

• Class C felonies usually carry 3-15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines. Some examples of crimes charged as Class C felonies include aggravated assault (intentionally causing serious injury to another) and kidnapping.

Class D Felony TN

• Class D felony carries lesser penalties and is punishable by 2-12 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Aggravated assault may be charged as a Class D felony instead of a Class C felony in certain cases, and burglary may also be a Class D felony. Possession of between 10-70 pounds of marijuana is also a Class D felony offense.

Class E Felony TN

• Class E felonies are the least serious felonies in Tennessee. They carry 1-6 years in prison, as well as a fine of up to $3,000. In most cases, offenses without a specified felony classification will be charged as a Class E felony. Some examples of Class E felonies include theft of property worth $1,000-$2,500.

Note that the statute of limitations for felonies in Tennessee vary depending on the specific charge, though unless otherwise stated (such as for sex offenses), the time limits for the prosecution to bring forward a case are:

• Class A felonies – 15 years
• Class B felonies – 8 years
• Class C and D felonies – 4 years
• Class E felonies – 2 years

Felony Expungement in Tennessee

Certain Class D or Class E felonies are eligible for expungement from a defendant’s criminal record. To qualify for expungement:

• at least 5 years must have elapsed since the completion of the sentence imposed for the offense;
• the offender must have paid all fines, restitution, court costs, and other assessments;
• the offender must have completed any term of imprisonment or probation;
• the offender must have met all conditions of supervised or unsupervised release; and
• (if required) the offender must have remained free from dependency on or abuse of alcohol, a controlled substance, or other prohibited substance for at least 1 year.

Felonies eligible for expungement in Tennessee include the following (view the full list here):

• theft
• forgery
• insurance fraud
• auto burglary
• failure to appear
• manufacture, delivery, sale, or possession of a Schedule V drug

Let the Law Offices of Amanda J. Gentry Help You

If you are facing a felony charge in Nashville or Davidson County, reach out to the Law Offices of Amanda J. Gentry for tenacious legal representation. Whether you have questions about the implications of your charge or whether you are eligible to expunge your felony, Attorney Gentry  and team can help you.

Contact her online or at (615) 235-5096 to schedule a consultation to discuss your legal options in more detail.