Belle Meade Arrest Records
Are Arrest Records Public in Belle Meade, Tennessee?
Arrest records are public documents in Belle Meade, Tennessee, pursuant to the Tennessee Public Records Act (T.C.A. § 10-7-503). This legislation establishes that governmental records shall be open for personal inspection by any citizen of Tennessee during regular business hours, unless specifically exempted by state law. The Tennessee Public Records Act promotes governmental transparency and accountability by ensuring public access to arrest records and other official documents. Law enforcement agencies in Belle Meade maintain these records as part of their official duties and must make them available upon proper request in accordance with established protocols and applicable privacy laws.
How to Look Up Belle Meade Arrest Records in 2025
Multiple methods exist for citizens seeking to access arrest records in Belle Meade for the year 2025. The Belle Meade Police Department serves as the primary custodian of local arrest records and provides several options for record retrieval:
- In-Person Requests: Citizens may visit the Belle Meade Police Department during regular business hours to submit a records request. Staff will assist with locating and providing copies of available arrest records.
Belle Meade Police Department
4705 Harding Pike
Belle Meade, TN 37205
(615) 297-0241
Belle Meade Police Department
Online Access Portal: The Belle Meade Records Management System allows for electronic searches of certain public records, including basic arrest information. Users must register for an account and may be subject to verification procedures.
Written Requests: Citizens may submit formal written requests for arrest records via postal mail. Requests must include the subject's full name, approximate date of arrest, and contact information for the requestor.
Davidson County Sheriff's Office: For arrests processed through county facilities, records may be available through the Sheriff's Office records division.
Davidson County Sheriff's Office
506 2nd Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 862-8123
Davidson County Sheriff's Office
- Tennessee Bureau of Investigation: For comprehensive criminal history information, the TBI maintains a centralized database accessible through formal request procedures.
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
901 R.S. Gass Boulevard
Nashville, TN 37216
(615) 744-4000
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Pursuant to T.C.A. § 10-7-503(a)(2)(A), records custodians must promptly make requested records available for inspection, unless otherwise provided by state law. Requestors may be required to present identification and pay reasonable fees for document reproduction.
Contents of a Belle Meade Arrest Record
Standard arrest records maintained by Belle Meade law enforcement agencies contain specific information as mandated by Tennessee Code Annotated § 38-3-122. These records typically include:
- Subject's complete legal name and any documented aliases or known nicknames
- Demographic information including date of birth, gender, race, and physical descriptors
- Date, time, and specific location of the arrest
- Statutory citations and descriptions of alleged criminal violations
- Name and badge number of the arresting officer(s)
- Arresting agency identification and jurisdiction information
- Booking photograph (mugshot) and fingerprint classification data
- Case or incident report number for administrative tracking
- Detention facility information if the subject was incarcerated
- Initial appearance court date and preliminary hearing schedule
- Bail or bond amount established, if applicable
- Disposition information indicating the current status of the case
The Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure § 4.01 requires that arrest records contain sufficient particularity regarding the offense charged to provide adequate notice to the defendant. However, certain sensitive information may be redacted from public versions of arrest records, including Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers, and information pertaining to juvenile subjects as protected under T.C.A. § 37-1-153.
Expungement of Arrest Records in Belle Meade
Tennessee law provides mechanisms for the expungement of certain arrest records in Belle Meade under specific circumstances. The expungement process is governed by Tennessee Code Annotated § 40-32-101 and removes eligible records from public access.
Eligibility criteria for expungement in Belle Meade include:
- Cases resulting in dismissal of all charges
- Arrests where no indictment or presentment was made by the grand jury
- Verdicts of not guilty returned by a jury
- Successful completion of diversion programs pursuant to T.C.A. § 40-35-313
- Certain non-violent misdemeanor and felony convictions after prescribed waiting periods
- Arrests for offenses that were later decriminalized by legislative action
The expungement procedure requires:
- Filing a petition with the Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk's Office
- Payment of the statutory filing fee (currently $280, subject to change)
- Verification of eligibility by the District Attorney General's Office
- Judicial review and approval via court order
- Distribution of the expungement order to all relevant agencies
Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk
Justice A.A. Birch Building
408 2nd Avenue North, Suite 2120
Nashville, TN 37201
(615) 862-5601
Davidson County Criminal Court Clerk
Upon successful expungement, all public records of the arrest are removed from public databases and physical archives. Pursuant to T.C.A. § 40-32-101(g)(15), persons whose records have been expunged may legally respond to questions about their criminal history as though the expunged arrest never occurred, with limited exceptions for certain licensing boards and law enforcement purposes.
The Tennessee Supreme Court has established that expungement creates a legal fiction whereby the expunged arrest is deemed never to have occurred (State v. Doe, 588 S.W.3d 603, Tenn. 2019), thereby restoring the individual's status to that which existed prior to the arrest.
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