Tenacious Defense

DUI Defense You Can Count On

A DUI arrest, especially for a first-time offender, can be overwhelming and disrupt your daily life. At Attorney Tenaya Winkelman’s firm, we offer expert representation designed to minimize penalties and secure a provisional driver's license, ensuring you maintain access to essential activities like work, school, and everyday errands.

Our Approach

We understand that every DUI case is unique. Our goal is to challenge the evidence, scrutinize the reliability of field sobriety tests and chemical test results, and work diligently to minimize the impact on your life. We tailor our defense strategy to your specific situation, whether you’re a first-time offender or facing enhanced penalties for a subsequent offense.

First DUI Offense

For first-time offenders, DUI charges in Tennessee are typically classified as misdemeanors. Penalties may include:

• A mandatory minimum of 48 hours in jail (with any time already served counting)
• Fines ranging from $350 to $1,500
• Community service, substance abuse assessments, and DUI school
• License suspension for up to one year, with the possibility of obtaining a restricted license for essential travel

We carefully examine test conditions and challenge any inaccuracies—whether due to environmental factors, medical issues, or equipment calibration errors—to ensure the strongest possible defense.

Second DUI Offense Penalties

If you’re facing a second DUI offense in Tennessee, the penalties become significantly harsher. These may include:

• Mandatory jail time ranging from 45 days to 11 months and 29 days
• Fines between $600 and $3,500
• License revocation for two years
• Vehicle seizure or forfeiture
• Required participation in alcohol and drug treatment programs
• Installation of an ignition interlock device
• Restitution for any injuries or losses suffered by others
• Mandatory DUI traffic school

Our experienced legal team will work aggressively to navigate these heightened consequences, ensuring that every possible defense is considered to protect your future.

Secure your future with a robust DUI defense tailored to your specific situation. Contact us today for a confidential consultation.

Drug Crime Defense You Can Rely On

Facing drug charges can have life-changing consequences. Whether you're dealing with a misdemeanor for simple possession or facing felony charges for distribution, manufacturing, or trafficking, the penalties can range from under a year in jail to 25 years behind bars. In these critical moments, expert legal representation is essential.

Our Approach

Attorney Tenaya Winkelman provides aggressive yet strategic defense tailored to your unique situation. We understand state and federal drug laws and know when to push back hard or take a measured approach—all to protect your rights and secure your future.

We Defend Against a Range of Drug Offenses, Including:

• Possession: Charges involving illegal substances such as cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and more.
• Marijuana-Related Charges: Cases involving marijuana possession—even for visitors or individuals transporting legally purchased marijuana across state lines.
• Prescription Drug Offenses: Charges related to OxyContin, Vicodin, fentanyl, and other opioids.
• Enhanced Charges: Offenses with increased penalties, including those in drug-free school zones.
• Manufacturing, Delivery, and Trafficking: Defending against allegations of distributing or trafficking controlled substances.

Secure the representation you need to navigate these complex charges and protect your future. Contact us today for a consultation.

Violent Crime Defense You Can Trust

Violent crime charges carry severe consequences—from lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines to lasting damage to your reputation and personal relationships. At Attorney Tenaya Winkelman’s office, we understand the gravity of these allegations and provide a robust, tailored defense to protect your rights and future.

Our Approach
We recognize that every case is unique. Whether you’re facing assault, battery, or even murder charges, our experienced team meticulously examines the evidence, develops strategic defense plans, and works tirelessly to safeguard your interests.

Our Defense Services Cover a Broad Range of Violent Crimes, Including:

• Assault: Challenging claims of intentional harm or threats, often through self-defense or clarification of misunderstandings.
• Battery: Evaluating the intent and circumstances behind alleged physical contact to determine if the incident was accidental, consensual, or justified.
• Domestic Violence: Navigating the complexities of cases involving family members with sensitivity and a focus on the facts.
• Kidnapping: Scrutinizing evidence around allegations of unlawful confinement or transportation, including issues of consent and intent.
• Weapons Violations: Addressing charges involving illegal weapon possession or the improper use or carrying of firearms.
• Murder: Defending against homicide charges by analyzing forensic evidence, witness testimonies, and the nuances of intent, whether facing first-degree murder, manslaughter, or related offenses.

Secure a defense attorney who not only understands the law but also knows how to protect your future. Contact us today for a confidential consultation.

Public Intoxication Defense You Can Count On

A night out in vibrant Nashville can quickly turn into legal trouble. While public intoxication charges are generally less severe than a DUI, they can still disrupt your life—especially when penalties like jail time and mandatory treatment are at stake.

Our Approach
Attorney Tenaya Winkelman is committed to protecting your rights if you're arrested for public intoxication. We tailor our defense to your unique situation, working to minimize consequences and ensure that this charge doesn't interfere with your daily life.

Understanding Tennessee’s Public Intoxication Law
In Tennessee, a charge of public intoxication requires that you be intoxicated and pose one or more of the following risks:

• A Danger to Yourself: Behaviors include falling, wandering in traffic, or engaging in risky stunts.
• A Danger to Others: Acting aggressively, instigating fights, or otherwise endangering those around you.
• A Danger to Property: Engaging in conduct likely to result in property damage—even if no damage has yet occurred.
• Causing a Disturbance: Being unreasonably disruptive in settings where such behavior is unexpected, such as during the day or in family-oriented environments.

Protect your future with a robust legal defense. Contact Attorney Tenaya Winkelman today for a confidential consultation.

Felony Defense You Can Count On

Felony charges are serious and can be life-altering. With potential prison sentences exceeding one year—and consequences that can affect your career, professional licenses, employment, and housing—a felony conviction demands aggressive, expert defense. When you're up against these charges, you need a skilled attorney by your side.

Our Approach
Attorney Tenaya Winkelman delivers outstanding criminal defense by fighting for clients at trial, negotiating to reduce charges to misdemeanors, and using pretrial motions to suppress critical evidence. We work diligently to build a robust defense tailored to your unique case.

Felony Charges We Defend Against
We handle even the most serious felony cases in Knoxville, TN. Our defense services cover a wide range of charges, including:

• DUI with Injury: Accusations of harming someone while driving drunk, where the potential for fatal outcomes is considered.
• Kidnapping: Unlawfully restricting someone’s movement in a way that endangers them, especially if a weapon is involved.
• Burglary: Charges not only for breaking into residences but also for entering any building or vehicle with intent to steal, assault, or commit another felony.
• Felony Assault: Allegations involving the use or threat of a weapon, causing serious injury, or preventing a victim from breathing.
• Felony Domestic Violence: Elevated charges that may apply after repeated offenses or when severe harm is involved, especially against a minor or partner.
• Drug Possession: Possessing even small amounts of certain controlled substances can result in felony charges.
• Drug Trafficking: Distributing drugs—even without a profit motive—can be treated as trafficking.
• Drug Manufacturing: Producing, preparing, or cultivating illicit substances, including cannabis, is a felony offense.
• Child Pornography: Charges for possessing or being involved in the production of explicit material involving a child.
• Online Solicitation: Engaging in sexual discussions with a minor or encouraging them to commit a sex crime, even without meeting in person.
• Sexual Assault: Involving unwanted sexual contact without consent.
• Rape: Engaging in non-consensual sexual penetration, a very serious felony offense.
• Murder: Charges for intentional killings (murder) or unintentional killings resulting from reckless conduct (manslaughter).

Protect your future with a robust legal defense. Contact Attorney Tenaya Winkelman today for a confidential consultation.

Expungement Services You Can Count On

A criminal record can impact every aspect of your life—from employment and housing to education and personal reputation. Tennessee law offers a legal process called expungement that, if you qualify, can clear your criminal records and help you start fresh. Attorney Tenaya Winkelman not only provides expert criminal defense but also assists clients in pursuing expungement to protect their futures.

Our Approach
We guide you through the expungement process with a comprehensive strategy designed to minimize the lasting effects of a criminal record. By carefully evaluating your case and determining eligibility, we work to remove barriers that may affect your job prospects, housing opportunities, and professional advancement.

What Is Expungement?
Expungement allows eligible individuals to have their criminal records erased and kept out of public view. Once granted, the records are treated as if the events never occurred, providing significant relief and the opportunity for a new start.

Benefits of Expungement
Expungement can offer numerous advantages, including:

• Improved Employment Opportunities: Prevents past criminal history from affecting background checks and hiring decisions.
• Better Housing Options: Enhances your chances of securing rental housing by removing criminal record barriers.
• Access to Education: Opens doors to educational and professional licensing opportunities previously limited by a criminal history.
• Restored Reputation: Helps clear the stigma of a past conviction, allowing you to move forward with confidence.

Eligibility for Expungement

Cases Without Conviction
In Tennessee, expungement is typically available when a case did not result in a conviction. This includes situations where:

• A defendant was arrested but no charges were filed
• Charges were dismissed
• A grand jury returned a "no true bill"
• A not guilty verdict was reached
• Pretrial or judicial diversion was successfully completed

To qualify, you must have no pending criminal charges and no other convictions.

Expungement of Convictions
Certain non-violent, low-level offenses may also be eligible for expungement. These include:

• Eligible Misdemeanors and Felonies: Specific offenses such as theft, forgery, vandalism, fraud, and some low-level drug crimes may be expunged if you have committed up to two qualifying crimes.
• Waiting Period: Typically, you can apply for expungement after five years have passed since the completion of your sentence—or a 10-year waiting period for some non-violent Class C or D felonies. All court-imposed requirements must be completed.
• Clean Record: You must have no subsequent criminal convictions that are ineligible for expungement, including federal crimes or charges in other states.

Full vs. Partial Expungement
In most cases, expungement removes all records related to an offense—including arrest records and convictions. If a full expungement is not available, a partial expungement may remove records related to arrests, indictments, and charges other than the conviction itself, cleansing electronic databases at the state and national levels.

Protect your future and move forward without the burden of a criminal record. Contact Attorney Tenaya Winkelman today for a confidential consultation.