Davidson County, Tennessee · Nashville jail, arrest and criminal-court guide
Find a Nashville Booking and Verify the Davidson County Court Outcome
Start with the Davidson County active inmate search to confirm custody, obtain the OCA control number and identify the current facility.
Then search the Criminal Court Clerk docket for filed charges and disposition. This guide also covers records requests, bail, video visits, mail, calls, commissary, lawyers, victims, TBI checks and expungement.
NASHVILLE RECORD MIXER
LIVE
CRIMINAL COURT CASE
OUTCOME CHECKED
BOOKING + COURT MATCHED
Arrest is not conviction. The booking shows information recorded during arrest or intake. The prosecutor can amend or decline charges, and the case may end in dismissal, nolle prosequi, acquittal, plea or conviction.
Current custody
Use the Nashville Sheriff active inmate search.
OCA number
Shown as CONTROL_NUMBER in the inmate result.
Case outcome
Use the Criminal Court Clerk public search.
TBI history
State name-based search currently costs $29.
Official review
Procedures checked July 31, 2026.
Start with the right office
Which Davidson County record answers your question?
NASHVILLE SHERIFF
Is the person in jail?
Search current custody, OCA control number, booking details, charges and housing information.
Best starting point for a recent Davidson County booking.
METRO POLICE
What did officers report?
Request the arrest report, incident report, probable-cause material or mugshot from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
The Sheriff records office does not provide Metro police reports or mugshots.
CRIMINAL COURT CLERK
How did the case end?
Find General Sessions or State Trial Court charges, hearings, dispositions and certified records.
The court record may differ from the original jail charge.
TENNESSEE TBI
Is a statewide history needed?
Order a Tennessee name-based criminal-history report covering fingerprint-supported misdemeanor and felony arrests submitted to TBI.
A statewide TBI search is not the same as the Davidson County jail search.
Best sequence: Find the inmate, save the OCA and booking information, identify the arresting agency, search the Criminal Court Clerk docket and request only the missing official document.
Official inmate search
How to search Davidson County arrests and current inmates
Open the Davidson County active inmate search
Use the official Nashville Sheriff system rather than a paid people-search advertisement.
Open Active Inmate Search
Start with the last name
A surname-first search avoids excluding a valid record because of a middle-name, suffix or spelling difference.
Add the first name gradually
Add the legal first name only if the surname returns too many results.
Open every plausible match
Compare the birth date or age, arrest information, charges and current facility.
Save the control number
The inmate-search result identifies the OCA as CONTROL_NUMBER. Use it for mail, records and account services.
Record every charge separately
One booking may contain multiple criminal charges, warrants, bond conditions or agency holds.
Confirm the facility
A person may be booked at the Downtown Detention Center and later transferred to another Davidson County facility.
Offender Information Center
Current and released-offender information is available 24 hours a day at
615-862-8123.
Search-result decoder
What Davidson County booking fields mean
Booking fields, limitations and best next actions
| Field |
What it identifies |
What it does not prove |
Next action |
| Control number or OCA |
The person inside Davidson County’s offender system. |
The final criminal disposition. |
Use it for mail, jail records and service accounts. |
| Booking information |
The current Davidson County custody event. |
That every allegation was filed in court. |
Match it to the Criminal Court Clerk case. |
| Arresting agency |
The department responsible for the arrest. |
That the Sheriff maintains the police report. |
Request the report from that agency. |
| Charge |
The allegation entered during arrest or booking. |
Guilt or the final prosecutor-filed offense. |
Read the court complaint and disposition. |
| Bond entry |
A release amount or condition connected to a charge. |
Payment will clear every hold or case. |
Confirm every charge with the jail or bond office. |
| Facility |
The current Davidson County housing location. |
The person will remain there. |
Recheck before visiting or sending facility-specific items. |
| Release |
The custody event ended. |
The charge was dismissed or the person was acquitted. |
Search the criminal court disposition. |
| Mugshot |
A photograph connected to booking. |
Identity by itself or criminal responsibility. |
Confirm the OCA, birth date and court case. |
Identity safeguard
Verify the person before relying on the record
First and last name match
Middle name, suffix or alias is consistent
Date of birth or age matches
Arrest date matches the known event
Arresting agency matches the location
OCA or control number matches another record
Court case follows the same arrest
Facility and timeline are consistent
Minimum rule: Match at least two independent identifiers before sending money, publishing an allegation or using a result for an important decision.
Troubleshooting
No Davidson County inmate result? Check these causes
Booking is still underway
Identification, fingerprints, medical screening and data entry can delay publication.
The person was released
The active inmate search is designed for current custody. Call the Offender Information Center or request a historical jail record.
The name was entered differently
Search the surname alone and test a maiden name, former name, suffix or alternate spelling.
The arrest occurred outside Davidson County
Search the county where custody began rather than the person’s Nashville address.
The person was transferred
Custody may have moved to another county, the Tennessee Department of Correction or federal custody.
The record is restricted
Juvenile, expunged, protected or otherwise confidential information may not appear publicly.
Missing-booking call script
I am trying to confirm the custody or booking status of [full legal name], date of birth [date]. The arrest may have occurred on [date] through [agency]. Can you confirm whether the person is being booked, currently held, released, transferred or listed under another name or control number?
Arrest-to-court lifecycle
Follow a Davidson County arrest in the correct order
Police investigation or arrest
Metro Police, a sheriff’s deputy, state officer or another agency creates the law-enforcement report.
Davidson County booking
The Sheriff records identity, fingerprints, property, initial allegations, bond information and holds.
Pretrial screening
The Pretrial Screening Office operates inside the Downtown Detention Center booking area 24 hours a day.
Initial court review
The court addresses the charge, counsel, release conditions, bond and future court dates.
Prosecutor filing decision
The District Attorney may file, amend or decline charges.
General Sessions or State Trial Court case
The docket records hearings, filings, warrant activity, pleas, judgments and dispositions.
Final disposition
Each count may end through dismissal, nolle prosequi, acquittal, plea, conviction or another court order.
Correction or expungement
An inaccurate record can be challenged, and an eligible Tennessee case may be expunged through the originating court.
Sheriff jail records
Request Davidson County inmate and booking records
Davidson County Sheriff Offender Records Office
610 West Due West Avenue
Madison, TN 37115
Phone:
615-862-8123
Public records hours: Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
An advance appointment is not required.
Important office split: The Sheriff’s records office handles inmate and jail records. It does not provide Metro police reports, accident reports or mugshots.
Confirm the record belongs to the Sheriff
Use this office for jail-booking, custody and inmate records.
Provide the inmate’s full name
Include the spelling shown in the active inmate search.
Include the OCA control number
The control number helps staff isolate the correct person.
State the exact record needed
Ask for a booking summary, custody dates, release information or another specifically identified jail record.
Request electronic delivery when available
This can reduce copying and mailing delay.
Copy-ready jail-record request
I request an electronic copy of the releasable Davidson County jail-booking and custody records for [full legal name], date of birth [date if known], OCA/control number [number], concerning the custody event beginning on or about [date]. Please include the booking date, release date, listed arresting agency and releasable charge or bond information.
Metro police reports and mugshots
Request the arrest narrative from the correct agency
Read the arresting-agency field
Determine whether Metropolitan Nashville Police or another agency made the arrest.
Do not send a Metro police request to the Sheriff
The Sheriff expressly directs police-report, accident-report and mugshot requests to Metro Police.
Name the exact records
Request the incident report, arrest report, probable-cause material, mugshot or identified supplement.
Provide narrow identifiers
Include the legal name, incident date, location, police report number, OCA and criminal case number.
Set a cost limit
Ask the records custodian to obtain approval before exceeding a stated amount.
Copy-ready police records request
I request an electronic copy of the releasable incident report, arrest report, probable-cause document and booking photograph concerning [full legal name] for the incident on or about [date] at [location]. Known identifiers are police report number [number], Davidson County OCA number [number] and court case number [number]. Please provide a cost estimate before processing if the total will exceed $[amount].
Criminal court search
Find the filed charges and final disposition
The Davidson County public search includes General Sessions Court dispositions beginning January 11, 2000, State Trial Court dispositions beginning July 11, 2000 and legacy records posted from 1980. Contact the Clerk for records before 1980.
Enter the name as recorded at arrest
The Clerk warns that the name must be spelled as it was entered at the time of arrest.
Use the case number when known
A case-number search reduces same-name errors.
Verify records missing a birth date
Visit or contact the Clerk before using a no-birth-date result for an official purpose.
Identify the court level
Separate General Sessions information from State Trial Court information.
Read every charge and disposition
One person or arrest can have multiple counts with different outcomes.
Check the newest docket activity
Look for amendments, warrant changes, plea entries, dismissals and judgments.
Refresh before official use
The Clerk recommends updating a search because court information can change.
How to interpret the result
Common Davidson County criminal-case outcomes
| Entry |
Practical meaning |
What to verify |
| Pending |
The matter has not reached a final result. |
Newest docket entry and next court date. |
| Dismissed |
The identified charge or case was ended without conviction. |
Whether costs remain and whether every count was dismissed. |
| Nolle prosequi |
The prosecution declined to continue the identified charge. |
Whether other counts remain and whether expungement is complete. |
| No true bill |
The grand jury did not return an indictment. |
Eligibility for no-fee expungement. |
| Not guilty |
The defendant was acquitted of that charge. |
Whether any other counts had a different outcome. |
| Guilty or plea |
A conviction or accepted plea was entered. |
Exact offense, judgment, sentence and later relief. |
| Retired |
The case was placed on hold rather than finally dismissed. |
Whether it must be converted to dismissal before expungement. |
| Expunged |
The qualifying charge was removed through the legal expungement process. |
Keep the certified order as proof. |
Court copies and certifications
Obtain official Davidson County criminal documents
Published Criminal Court Clerk copy costs
| Service |
Published charge |
Use |
| View public records in office |
No charge |
Review public Davidson County criminal records during normal business hours. |
| Free online summary |
No charge |
Search charges and available dispositions. |
| Non-certified copy |
$0.50 per page |
Ordinary informational copy. |
| Certified copy |
$5 certification and seal plus $0.50 per page |
Official proof for an employer, court, agency or licensing purpose. |
Find the correct case
Verify the defendant, case number, charge and disposition.
Name the exact document
Ask for the charging document, dismissal, judgment, sentence or certified disposition.
Confirm whether certification is necessary
Do not pay certification charges when a free summary or ordinary copy is sufficient.
Request by office, mail or telephone
Mailed requests require full payment by cashier’s check or money order and a self-addressed stamped envelope.
Contact the Clerk for the exact total
Call
615-862-5601 before mailing payment.
Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk
408 Second Avenue North, Suite 2120
Nashville, TN 37201
Phone:
615-862-5601
Normal business hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Warrants and after-hours bond office
Check a warrant through the newest court information
Search the Criminal Court Clerk record
Look for warrant-issued, served, recalled or cancelled activity.
Read the newest entry
Do not rely on an older warrant line when later action exists.
Confirm the issuing case
Similar names and multiple Davidson County cases can create confusion.
Contact the court or responsible agency
Confirm current status before relying on an online entry.
Use the State Warrant and Bond Office when appropriate
The office is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 512 First Avenue North, Nashville.
Do not confront or attempt to detain anyone. A same-name record, recalled warrant or delayed update can produce a serious mistake.
Payment scam warning: Do not pay an unexpected caller through gift cards, cryptocurrency or a text-message payment link. Contact the court, jail or bond office independently.
Davidson County correctional facilities
Confirm the current location before visiting or sending money
Downtown Detention Center
Booking, detention, classification and court-related custody services.
200 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37201
Offender information: 615-862-8123
Correctional Development Center – Male
Male housing, programs, video visitation, telephone and commissary services.
5113 Harding Place
Nashville, TN 37211
Correctional Development Center – Female
Female housing and facility-based inmate services.
Harding Place correctional campus
Nashville, TN 37211
Maximum Correctional Center
Maximum-security housing and approved legal-visitor procedures.
Harding Place correctional campus
Nashville, TN 37211
Annex
Minimum- and medium-security housing.
5131 Harding Place
Nashville, TN 37211
615-862-8187
Current facility controls services
Visitation schedule, housing restrictions and some service details depend on the inmate’s assigned facility and unit.
A person may be booked Downtown and later transferred. Recheck the active inmate result before visiting, mailing time-sensitive material or contacting facility staff.
Bond and pretrial release
Confirm every Davidson County charge before paying
Pretrial Screening Office
Located in the Downtown Detention Center booking room
Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week
Phone:
615-862-7673
Confirm the inmate and OCA number
Match the legal name and current booking before discussing release.
List every charge
Record the bond or release condition for each charge.
Identify every warrant or hold
Another case or agency may prevent release after one bond is posted.
Confirm the newest court order
Initial booking information can change after judicial review.
Ask where payment must be completed
The jail, court, State Warrant and Bond Office or a licensed bonding company may handle different actions.
Verify a private bonding company
Obtain the premium, collateral, refund and missed-court terms in writing.
Keep complete proof
Save the signed agreement, receipt, transaction number and booking details.
Allow release processing
Staff must verify paperwork, clear holds and return property before release.
Bond-verification call script
I am calling about [full legal name], OCA/control number [number]. Please confirm every active charge, the current release condition for each charge, every outside hold, the accepted payment method and whether additional court paperwork is required.
Video visitation
Schedule a Davidson County inmate visit correctly
Visits are video only except for attorney visits. The Downtown Detention Center currently states that families cannot visit from its lobby.
Confirm the current facility and housing unit
The visitation schedule depends on where the inmate is housed.
Create the required video account
Follow the provider instructions linked by the Sheriff.
Choose onsite or remote video when available
Availability depends on the facility and current operations.
Search for the inmate
Use the first and last name or the identifying number requested by the provider.
Select the relationship, date and time
Review the appointment details and provider terms.
Add additional visitors correctly
Enter every participant required by the scheduling system.
Save the confirmation
Keep a screenshot or printed copy of the appointment information.
Recheck custody before the session
Transfer, court movement, medical housing or disciplinary restrictions can affect access.
Downtown Detention Center remote-family schedule
Published remote video times for listed DDC housing units
| Days |
Daytime period |
Evening period |
Housing note |
| Monday–Sunday |
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
7:30 p.m.–9:20 p.m. |
Published for 2A–2D, 3B, 3C and 4A–4F; third-floor medical housing does not receive video visits. |
Facility schedules can change. Confirm the inmate’s exact unit and current visitation availability before paying a provider fee.
Scanned inmate mail
Address Davidson County inmate mail correctly
Personal mail format
Inmate’s full name – OCA number
Nashville / Davidson County Sheriff’s Office
P.O. Box 196383
Nashville, TN 37219-6383
Verify the inmate’s full name
Use the spelling shown in the active inmate search.
Copy the control number
Use the number labeled CONTROL_NUMBER as the OCA.
Use the P.O. box
Ordinary correspondence should not be sent to a facility street address.
Send through the United States Postal Service
Correspondence must be stamped and mailed.
Keep the contents simple
Physical mail is scanned and distributed electronically through inmate tablets and commissary kiosks.
Use a standard greeting card
Cards with glitter or other embellishments are rejected.
Accepted
- Letters
- Legal mail after verification
- Standard greeting cards
- Permitted 35mm photographs
Not accepted
- Stamps, envelopes or blank paper
- Hardback books or Bibles
- Emergency packages
- Glitter or embellished cards
- Unapproved inmate-to-inmate mail
- Books, magazines, newspapers or other mailed publications
Legal mail: Sheriff personnel verify legal mail by contacting the attorney or law firm shown in the return address. Falsifying legal mail can result in criminal charges.
Released inmates may download scanned mail for up to 30 days after release using the mail-recovery PIN created while incarcerated.
Calls, electronic messages and commissary
Use the approved Davidson County account systems
Telephone account
Provide the account holder’s name and address
Provide the designated telephone number
Select the correct Davidson County facility
Use an accepted online or telephone payment method
Remember that ordinary inmate calls may be recorded
Use the facility’s legal-call process for attorney communication
Commissary deposits
Verify the inmate and OCA number
Do not deposit money based only on a matching name.
Choose CorrectPay or JailATM
Register before attempting a remote deposit.
Review the transaction fee
Provider charges can differ by payment amount and method.
Use a lobby kiosk when appropriate
Kiosks at the Downtown Detention Center and Correctional Development Center accept cash or cards.
Use a participating cash retailer when preferred
Register through Cash Pay Today and obtain the required barcode.
Mail a postal money order separately
Address it to the inmate’s name and OCA at P.O. Box 196383, Nashville, TN 37219-6383. Do not place it inside ordinary correspondence.
Criminal defense help
Request the Davidson County Public Defender or hire counsel
Public Defender
- Ask the judge for appointed counsel.
- Complete the required financial screening.
- Provide accurate income, asset and expense information.
- Contact the Adult Division for screening instructions.
- Do not discuss case facts on recorded inmate calls.
Private lawyer
- Verify the lawyer’s Tennessee license.
- Ask who will personally handle the case.
- Request the entire fee agreement in writing.
- Ask whether bond, motions, trial and appeal are included.
- Keep all receipts and signed agreements.
Public Defender of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County – Adult Division
150 Second Avenue North, Suite 400
Nashville, TN 37201
Phone:
615-862-5730
Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Attorney screening ends at 4:15 p.m.
Victim and witness assistance
Get help following a Davidson County criminal case
Have the report or case number ready
This helps staff identify the correct incident and prosecutor.
Request case-status information
Ask about hearings, plea negotiations, disposition and sentencing.
Ask about referrals
Coordinators can connect victims with available community or government services.
Register for custody notifications when needed
Ask which Tennessee notification service covers the inmate or offender.
Discuss safety concerns immediately
Tell the advocate about domestic violence, stalking, threats, disability or urgent protection needs.
A victim-witness coordinator explains the criminal process and available services. The coordinator is not the defendant’s lawyer and does not provide independent legal representation.
Tennessee statewide criminal history
Order a TBI background record when a county search is not enough
A Davidson County inmate or court search is local. A TBI Open Records check searches the Tennessee criminal-history repository using the submitted name.
TBI Open Records criminal-history facts
| Item |
Current rule |
Important limitation |
| Search type |
Tennessee name-based criminal-history search |
It is not fingerprint-based identity confirmation. |
| Fee |
$29 per request |
The charge is nonrefundable. |
| Included arrests |
Misdemeanor and felony arrests based on fingerprints submitted by arresting agencies |
Incomplete agency submissions can affect the report. |
| Aliases |
Aliases are not included in the name search |
A separate spelling or former name may require another search. |
| Juvenile records |
Normally excluded |
A juvenile transferred to adult criminal court may appear. |
Confirm that a statewide report is necessary
Use TBI when Davidson County jail and court searches are too narrow for the purpose.
Enter the subject’s identifying information carefully
A name-based check can return a possible same-name record.
Pay the nonrefundable $29 charge
Verify spelling before submitting.
Download the PDF result
TBI recommends using a desktop or laptop when the report does not display correctly on a mobile device.
Compare each arrest with the court disposition
A criminal-history entry may require a Davidson County certified record for complete interpretation.
Record correction
Fix an inaccurate Davidson County or Tennessee record
Identify which system is wrong
Compare the Sheriff inmate record, Metro Police report, court docket and TBI history.
Save the incorrect display
Record the URL, date, name, OCA, case number and disputed entry.
Obtain the controlling document
Use a certified dismissal, corrected judgment, amended charge or written agency correction.
Contact the originating office
A jail error goes to the Sheriff, a report error to the arresting agency and a docket error to the Clerk or court.
Ask TBI to update a state-history error
Provide the official documents proving the correct arrest or disposition information.
Recheck private background reports separately
A government correction may not automatically update a private database.
Correction versus expungement: Use a correction when information is factually wrong. Use expungement when the record is accurate but qualifies for legal removal.
Tennessee expungement
Remove an eligible Davidson County arrest or charge
Davidson County lists dismissed, nolle prosequi, no true bill, not guilty and retired matters among its potentially eligible categories. No expungement fee is required for the listed non-conviction outcomes, although costs or other requirements may still need resolution.
Common no-fee eligibility outcomes
Charge was dismissed
Nolle prosequi was entered
Grand jury returned no true bill
Trial resulted in not guilty
Person was arrested and released without charge
A qualifying retired matter is converted and resolved
Search the Davidson County case
Record the docket number, charge and final disposition.
Determine which court originated the matter
The request must begin in the court where the case was handled.
Check every charge separately
Different counts in one arrest can have different eligibility.
Resolve court costs when required
A charge dismissed with costs generally requires payment or approved waiver before expungement.
Address retired cases
A retired charge may need to be converted to a dismissal before it can be expunged.
Allow the published response window
The Clerk asks users to allow approximately 48–72 hours for contact regarding an inquiry.
File the required request
Some cases or charges may require separate forms.
Request certified copies
Keep a certified expungement order and charging document.
Verify agency completion
Confirm the court, jail, arresting agency and TBI received and processed the order.
Personal checks, money orders and cashier’s checks are subject to a 10-day hold before Davidson County processes an expungement request.
Tennessee guidance states that conviction expungement for an eligible misdemeanor or Class E felony may involve a $180 expungement fee plus court costs. Eligibility is narrower than non-conviction expungement and should be confirmed before payment.
Title-related questions
Davidson County arrest-record questions answered
How do I search Davidson County arrest records?
Use the official Nashville Sheriff Active Inmate Search for current custody. Save the control number and then search the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk case system.
What is the OCA number?
The OCA is the inmate control number shown as CONTROL_NUMBER in the Davidson County inmate-search result.
How do I find a released inmate’s booking?
Call the Offender Information Center or request a historical jail record from the Sheriff’s Offender Records Office.
Where do I find the court outcome?
Search the Criminal Court Clerk public case system and review each charge’s disposition.
Does the Sheriff provide Metro police reports?
No. The Sheriff states that Metro police reports, accident reports and mugshots should be requested from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.
How much are certified Davidson County court copies?
The Clerk lists a $5 certification and seal charge plus $0.50 per page.
What is the Davidson County inmate mailing address?
Use the inmate’s full name and OCA number, Nashville and Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, P.O. Box 196383, Nashville, TN 37219-6383.
Are jail visits video only?
Yes. The Sheriff states that inmate visits are video only except for attorney visits.
How much is a TBI criminal-history search?
TBI currently charges $29 for each nonrefundable Tennessee name-based Open Records history request.
Can a Davidson County arrest be expunged?
Dismissed, nolle prosequi, no true bill, not guilty and certain other outcomes may qualify. Start with the Criminal Court Clerk and keep a certified copy of the completed order.