Tennessee’s juvenile justice laws are changing in 2025 in a way that directly impacts bond hearings in adult criminal cases. Under SB0221, courts can now include juvenile court records—such as prior case outcomes and evidence—in pretrial reports used to decide bond. Magistrates are required to consider a defendant’s juvenile history when determining bond, meaning past juvenile issues can significantly influence decisions about pretrial release and conditions.
This means juvenile records, which were previously protected, may now affect your chances of getting bond if facing criminal charges as an adult. Bond hearings will likely be more complicated, with juvenile history playing a key role in assessing risk and community safety.
If you or a loved one are feeling the effects of this new law, the Law Offices of Amanda J. Gentry offers experienced advocacy to help you understand your rights and defend your future under. Contact our legal team today for a free consultation to get the support you need.
What Is Tennessee Public Chapter 414?
PC0414, an amendment to SB0221, represents a significant shift in how the state treats juvenile court records during adult criminal proceedings, especially at the bond hearing stage. Lawmakers introduced PC0414 in response to increasing concerns about public safety and repeat offenses, aiming to ensure that courts have a complete picture of a defendant’s history before making pretrial release decisions. By allowing juvenile records to factor into adult bond determinations, legislators sought to create a system where prior juvenile conduct could inform risk assessment, rather than being kept separate from adult criminal matters.
Key points of the amendment:
- Permits courts to use a person’s juvenile court records, including outcomes and case evidence, when compiling pretrial reports for adult bond hearings.
- Requires magistrates to consider a defendant’s juvenile history as part of the bond decision process.
- Expands the information available to the court, potentially influencing determinations regarding pretrial release and perceived risk to the community.
- Applies to pending adult criminal cases where bond hearings are held.
- Changes previous rules that often excluded sealed or restricted juvenile records from adult proceedings.
Prior to this updated bill, juvenile court records usually had little to no impact on adult bond hearings. A youthful mistake, no matter how serious, was rarely factored into the conditions of an adult pretrial release. With PC0414 in effect, past juvenile rulings can now shape if and how a person is granted bond, making it essential for anyone with a juvenile history to understand these new procedural changes.
How Juvenile Court Records Can Now Be Used
Courts are now permitted to consider a person’s entire juvenile record, including prior outcomes, evidence from those proceedings, and patterns of behavior, when assessing a defendant’s risk when making pretrial decisions. This expanded access marks a major shift from previous law, where juvenile records were largely sealed off from adult courts and rarely impacted bond hearings or trial outcomes.
Here’s what someone can expect now that juvenile records are accessible in adult cases:
- Juvenile outcomes and evidence may be reviewed as part of pretrial risk assessments.
- Judges and magistrates must factor in juvenile history when deciding on bond conditions or pretrial release.
- A more detailed and sometimes negative picture of a defendant’s background may emerge in the courtroom.
- Prior juvenile adjudications, even for nonviolent or less severe acts, can influence how “risky” a defendant is perceived.
- This information may be included in pretrial reports, affecting not only bond but also how prosecutors negotiate and judges view the case overall.
This change can significantly impact pretrial bond hearings. Having a juvenile record may now result in higher bond amounts, more stringent bond conditions, or, in some cases, prevent you from obtaining bond altogether, depending on how the judge evaluates your juvenile history.
How This Impacts Bond Hearings
Courts and magistrates now have the explicit authority to review juvenile court records, including the outcome of cases and other evidence from those hearings, when deciding the terms of bond in adult criminal cases. This means that a person's history from juvenile proceedings, if it occurred within the last five years, will be weighed in assessing not just risk of flight, but also risk to public safety. As a result, matters that were once sealed or excluded from adult bond decisions are now front and center, making bond determinations more comprehensive and, in some cases, more restrictive than before.
What Does This Mean for Juvenile and Young Adult Defendants?
It’s important to know that you or your child’s juvenile record may no longer be kept completely private. This change means your past mistakes can affect any future bond hearings surrounding adult criminal cases. Because of this, it’s crucial to handle juvenile charges quickly to protect your opportunities—whether in school, work, or other areas of life.
Why Early Legal Intervention Matters
Getting legal help early can make a big difference by guiding you through these changes, defending your rights, and working to reduce the long-term impact your juvenile record might have. If you’re facing juvenile charges, reaching out to an experienced juvenile defense lawyer as soon as possible is essential to help protect your future.
How Amanda Gentry Fights for Youth and Adult Defendants
The Law Offices of Amanda J. Gentry stands up for both juvenile and adult defendants. Our criminal defense attorneys understand the impact a juvenile record can have on your future. By Tennessee lawmakers enacting PC0414, those records are no longer protected when facing criminal charges as an adult. Our attorneys stay up to date on the ever changing legal landscape and can help explain these changes and how it could affect your future.
Whether you’re a parent worried about your child’s future or an adult feeling the effects of a juvenile record, the Law Offices of Amanda J. Gentry can help. Reach out to our legal team today to ensure your rights are protected and explore all your legal options.
