When your child is accused of a crime, the fear is immediate and the confusion is overwhelming. You’re trying to figure out what happened, what your child is facing, and what you’re supposed to do next, often while standing in a police station lobby or sitting in a juvenile detention waiting room. The juvenile court system in Tennessee operates under a different set of rules than adult criminal court, and those differences can work in your child’s favor if you understand them and respond quickly. Attorney Chad Turnbow at Turnbow Law in Mt. Juliet represents juveniles and their families across Middle Tennessee, and the single factor that most consistently affects outcomes in these cases is how early competent legal representation gets involved.
The juvenile system is designed around rehabilitation rather than punishment. But that philosophy only helps your child if someone is actively navigating the system on their behalf.
How Juvenile Court Differs from Adult Court
Tennessee’s juvenile court system is governed by T.C.A. § 37-1-101 et seq., and it operates on fundamentally different principles than the adult criminal system. The terminology itself reflects this. Juveniles aren’t “charged” with crimes; they’re alleged to have committed “delinquent acts.” They aren’t found “guilty”; they’re “adjudicated delinquent.” These aren’t just semantic differences. They reflect a legal framework built around the idea that children and adolescents have a greater capacity for change than adults, and that the court’s primary goal is rehabilitation and the best interest of the child rather than retribution.
There is no jury in juvenile court. A juvenile judge hears the evidence and makes the determination. Proceedings are closed to the public, and in most circumstances the records are confidential. The range of dispositions (the juvenile equivalent of sentencing) is broader and more flexible than adult sentencing, giving the judge tools like probation, community service, counseling, restitution, electronic monitoring, placement in a residential treatment facility, or commitment to the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services.
That flexibility is a double-edged sword. It gives the judge significant discretion to craft an individualized response, but it also means outcomes can vary widely depending on how the case is presented. A well-prepared attorney can influence the disposition substantially by presenting the court with a concrete rehabilitation plan, evidence of the juvenile’s home environment and support system, school records, and character references that help the judge see the full picture rather than just the allegation.
Transfer to Adult Court
Not every juvenile case stays in juvenile court. Under T.C.A. § 37-1-134, the state can petition to transfer a juvenile’s case to adult criminal court under certain circumstances. This is the most serious procedural risk in any juvenile case, because a transfer means the child faces adult charges, adult penalties, a public record, and potentially incarceration in the adult correctional system.
Tennessee law allows transfer for juveniles age 16 or older who are charged with certain serious offenses. For some offenses classified as violent felonies, including first-degree murder, the transfer is mandatory. For others, the juvenile court judge conducts a hearing and considers several factors: the nature and seriousness of the alleged offense, whether the offense was against a person or property, the juvenile’s prior record, the juvenile’s mental and physical maturity, the likelihood of rehabilitation through juvenile court resources, and whether public safety requires transfer.
This hearing is where legal representation matters most. The transfer decision shapes the entire trajectory of the case. Once a juvenile is transferred to adult court, the rehabilitative framework of the juvenile system no longer applies. Chad Turnbow prepares aggressively for transfer hearings, presenting evidence of the juvenile’s capacity for rehabilitation, their support system, their amenability to treatment, and any mitigating circumstances surrounding the alleged offense. Keeping a case in juvenile court is often the most consequential outcome an attorney can achieve.
For children under 16, transfer is not available in most circumstances. Tennessee law presumes that younger juveniles belong in the juvenile system, though exceptions exist for the most serious violent offenses.
Diversion Programs
Before a case reaches adjudication, there may be an opportunity to resolve it through diversion. Tennessee’s juvenile courts offer diversion programs that allow eligible juveniles to complete certain conditions (community service, counseling, restitution, educational programs, drug testing) in exchange for having the petition dismissed. A successful diversion means no adjudication, no delinquency finding, and no disposition on the child’s record.
Eligibility for diversion depends on the nature of the offense, the juvenile’s prior history, and the policies of the particular juvenile court. First-time offenders facing misdemeanor-level allegations are the strongest candidates, but diversion is sometimes available for lower-level felony allegations as well. The decision to offer diversion typically rests with the juvenile court judge or a designated intake officer, and advocacy from an attorney at this stage can make the difference between a diversion offer and a case that proceeds to a formal hearing.
Parents often don’t realize that diversion is on the table because nobody explains it to them at the intake stage. Having an attorney involved early ensures that every available alternative to formal adjudication is explored before the case advances.
Confidentiality of Juvenile Records
One of the most significant protections in Tennessee’s juvenile system is the confidentiality of records. Juvenile court proceedings are not open to the public, and juvenile records are not part of the public record. Under T.C.A. § 37-1-153 and § 37-1-154, access to juvenile court records is restricted to parties with a legitimate interest: the juvenile and their family, attorneys, the court, law enforcement agencies involved in the case, and certain government agencies.
This means that a delinquency adjudication generally does not follow your child into adulthood in the way a criminal conviction would. It won’t appear on standard background checks for employment or housing. College applications that ask about criminal convictions typically do not require disclosure of juvenile adjudications.
There are exceptions. If a case is transferred to adult court, the protections of juvenile confidentiality no longer apply. Certain sex offenses carry registration requirements that extend beyond the juvenile system. And juvenile records can be accessed by courts in subsequent proceedings if the individual is later charged as an adult and the prior juvenile history is relevant to sentencing.
Tennessee also provides a process for expungement of juvenile records under T.C.A. § 37-1-153(d), which can eliminate the record entirely after certain conditions are met. Chad Turnbow discusses expungement eligibility with every juvenile client’s family as part of the long-term strategy for the case.
What Parents Need to Know About Their Rights
Parents are not bystanders in the juvenile court process. Tennessee law gives parents the right to be present at every stage of the proceedings, the right to be notified of hearings and their child’s legal status, and the right to participate in developing the disposition plan.
Your child has the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, the court will appoint counsel. But appointed counsel is assigned at the court’s pace, and in many jurisdictions the first meaningful contact between the appointed attorney and the juvenile happens at or just before the hearing. Retaining private counsel earlier in the process allows for investigation, witness identification, evidence gathering, and strategic planning that simply cannot happen when an attorney meets the client for the first time in the courtroom hallway.
One thing parents should avoid: discussing the details of the incident with anyone other than your child’s attorney. Statements parents make to police officers, school administrators, probation officers, or even other family members can become evidence. The instinct to cooperate and explain what happened is understandable, but it can undermine your child’s defense.
Contact Turnbow Law About Your Child’s Case
A juvenile charge doesn’t have to define your child’s future. The system is built to allow for second chances, but those chances depend on how the case is handled from the start. Whether your child is facing a misdemeanor allegation, a felony delinquency petition, or the possibility of transfer to adult court, early legal representation gives you the strongest position at every stage.
Contact Turnbow Law at (615) 669-8619. Chad Turnbow will review the allegations, explain the process in terms that make sense, and start building a strategy aimed at the best available outcome for your child and your family.
