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In September 2014, newly elected Attorney General Charme Allen es- tablished that the goal of the Knox County DA’s Office is to be “tough
on crime and smart on prevention.”
To meet that goal, the DA’s Office re- lies upon core teams of prosecutors and support staff that manage the dockets in General Sessions Courts, Grand Jury, Criminal Courts, and Juvenile Courts.
In this series, the DA’s Office high- lights units that are tasked with managing cases of all kinds to keep Knox County citizens safe and to keep others from reoffending.
In the Cited/Bonded Arraignment Court, prosecutors address cases where individuals are cited to appear in court rather than being arrested, such as traffic offenses, animal control, and hunting and boating violations, among others. Bonded Arraignment Court is a court of first appearance for those who have made bond after an arrest or who were cited and told to appear for booking. Prosecutors deal with many first time offenders in these courts and compassion- ately help them navigate through the criminal justice system.
In Misdemeanor Sessions Court, assistant district attorneys manage cases that have a maximum punish- ment of 11 months and 29 days of probation or jail time and a maxi- mum $2500 fine. These cases are charged by warrant, criminal sum- mons, or misdemeanor citation for offenses such as simple assault, theft or vandalism under $500, public intoxication, and others. Prosecutors work in a fast-paced environment
to assist the general public daily by skillfully and efficiently handling a large volume of cases.
In Felony Sessions Court, prosecu- tors strive to minimize the Criminal Court trial dockets by thorough-
ly assessing cases before them, working jointly with investigators, victims, and witnesses, and reach-
ing plea agreements that negate the need for jury trials. Felony cases are classed as more serious criminal offenses, and have a minimum punishment of at least one year on probation or in jail. Felony cases include aggravated assault, theft or vandalism over $500, vehicle and business burglaries, and others.
Within the General Sessions courts, Allen’s team of prosecutors, victim/ witness coordinators, and support staff seek to positively impact not only victims and witnesses, but also individuals charged with an offense. “We try to do a lot of our prevention here,” says Allen. “For many people who appear in General Sessions Court, it’s often their first offense. We work with them so they won’t re-offend.” Special programs such as community service, safe driv- ing school, and drug and alcohol treatment offer first-time offenders the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. “This stage in the process is where we give most people a chance,” says Allen. “We really try to help them get on the right path.”
Knox County District Attorney Charme Allen brings with her more than 25 years of experience in the District Attorney’s Office to her role as District Attorney.
Gatekeepers
of General
Sessions
The prosecutors and support staff assigned to the General Sessions Courts are considered the Gatekeep- ers to the Criminal Justice System, efficiently managing large caseloads to keep the resources of the Grand Jury and Criminal Courts limited to the most serious of cases. Thousands of cases are heard each year in these courts, creating a multi-faceted, busy, and sometimes chaotic envi- ronment for this hard-working group.