Loudon County DUI Court Process

Misdemeanor DUI cases in Loudon County are heard in General Sessions Court inside the Justice Center at 12680 Hwy 11 West, Suite 3, in Lenoir City, the same building as the jail. Two judges handle the docket: Rex Dale, who also sits on probate, and Henry E. "Hank" Sledge, Jr., who also handles juvenile matters. Records run through the Circuit Court Clerk, Steve Harrelson, at (865) 986-3505. Filing hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and you can look up a case at the clerk's site.

Because the court shares a roof with the jail and the Sheriff's Office, security screening is heavy. On a busy docket morning the line runs out the door. Phones, smartwatches, and recording devices are often barred outright depending on the bailiff's call that day, so leave electronics in the car rather than get turned back and lose your place in line. Dress is business casual at a minimum, long pants and a collared shirt. Shorts, tank tops, hats, and drug or alcohol imagery will get you sent out by the judge. Arrive at least 45 minutes early. Missing the docket call because you were stuck in screening can trigger a failure-to-appear warrant.

Courtroom assignments shift with docket volume. Once you clear security, check the posted docket sheets or monitors outside the courtrooms for your name, case number, and room.

Tennessee does not allow judicial diversion for DUI. There is no version of this where you finish probation and the charge is wiped. A DUI charge only avoids becoming a DUI conviction through dismissal, acquittal, or a negotiated plea to a lesser offense such as reckless driving. A first conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 48 hours in jail, seven consecutive days if your BAC was 0.20 or higher.

The 9th Judicial District runs a recovery docket for defendants whose charges trace back to addiction. It is an intensive-supervision track built on frequent testing and mandatory treatment, and it is measured in months. It is not a shortcut, and eligibility is narrow.

Tennessee requires a licensed DUI school before a license is reinstated, and only in-person instruction counts, a 12-hour Prime for Life course. Online classes are not accepted. The local provider is the East Tennessee Human Resource Agency at 298 Blair Bend Road in Loudon, (865) 408-1775. The course runs about $250 and requires pre-registration by phone. That same agency also handles misdemeanor probation supervision and the alcohol and drug assessments the court orders.

If your assessment points to a serious substance use problem, or if you are in the recovery docket, the court will require outpatient or residential treatment through a regional behavioral health provider that serves Loudon, Blount, Monroe, and Roane counties. You can find a treatment provider through this site's directory.

Most people facing a DUI charge here hire counsel, and the defense bar that practices in this court is largely based in Knoxville. You can find a DUI attorney through this site's directory.

Sources

• Loudon County Circuit Court Clerk
• East Tennessee Human Resource Agency — Loudon County