Arrested for DUI in Bristol, Tennessee? Here is what happens next.

Officers from the Bristol Tennessee Police Department, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, or the Tennessee Highway Patrol take the person to be booked, usually at the Sullivan County jail in Blountville. Bond is set, and once it is posted the person is released with paperwork that shows a court date. Most DUI cases start in Sullivan County General Sessions Court, and for arrests in Bristol that court sits at the Bristol Justice Center, 801 Anderson Street.

Keep every piece of paper you were given. The local resources page lists the court, the jail, and the police with official phone numbers. Penalties and procedures can change; confirm details with the court or a licensed attorney.

Not automatically on the night of the arrest. Tennessee does not have a separate DMV hearing after a DUI arrest the way some states do; the court decides license consequences.

• If you are convicted of DUI, the court must prohibit you from driving for one year on a first offense, two years on a second, six on a third, and eight on a fourth or later (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-404).
• If the court finds you refused a breath or blood test after being warned, it must revoke your license for at least one year on a first refusal, longer in some cases (§ 55-10-407).

You may be able to drive during a revocation with a restricted license; see the restricted license and interlock guide. The license guide has the details. Penalties can change; confirm with the court or a licensed attorney.

Refusing is not a crime by itself in Tennessee, but it is a separate violation of the implied consent law, charged on its own citation (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-407(d)). A judge decides it, either together with the DUI case or at your first appearance or preliminary hearing in General Sessions Court (§ 55-10-406(d)(4)).

If the court finds you refused, it must revoke your license: one year with no prior DUI conviction, one year and six months if it was a refused blood test on a misdemeanor DUI arrest, and two years with a prior conviction, longer if someone was badly hurt or killed (§ 55-10-407). The refusal guide explains more. Penalties can change; confirm with a licensed attorney.

Often, yes. A judge can order a restricted license during a DUI or refusal revocation unless the case involved a death or serious injury or you have certain prior vehicular assault or homicide convictions (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-409). In many DUI cases the order requires an ignition interlock device.

The Tennessee Department of Safety says to take the judge's signed Order for Restricted Driver License, with SR-22 insurance, to a Driver Services Center within 10 days of the order being signed. You can then get a 90-day temporary license while your application is reviewed. The nearest center to Bristol is in Blountville. See the restricted license guide. Requirements can change; confirm with Driver Services or the court.

Under Tennessee law a first DUI conviction carries:

Sources: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-10-402, 55-10-403, 55-10-404. Repeat offenses carry much longer minimum jail terms. The penalties guide has the full table. Penalties can change; confirm with the court or a licensed attorney.

For an arrest on the Tennessee side of Bristol, the case usually starts in Sullivan County General Sessions Court at the Bristol Justice Center, 801 Anderson Street (Sessions clerk: 423-989-4352). Sullivan County also holds General Sessions court in Kingsport and Blountville, so check the court location printed on your paperwork.

Felony DUI cases, and misdemeanor cases that are bound over to the grand jury or appealed, move to the courts at the Sullivan County Justice Center in Blountville. See the Sullivan County DUI guide.

No. Bristol, Virginia is a separate city in a different state, with its own police, its own courts, and Virginia DUI law, which is different from Tennessee's. This site covers only Bristol, Tennessee and Sullivan County.

If you were arrested in Bristol, Virginia, look to Virginia sources, such as the Virginia Judicial System for courts and the Virginia DMV for license questions, and talk with a lawyer licensed in Virginia. The state line guide explains how to tell which side you were on.

You are not required to hire one, but a DUI case in Tennessee carries mandatory minimum jail time, a license revocation, and a separate refusal case if you declined a test. If you cannot afford a lawyer, ask the court about appointed counsel at your first appearance.

The directory lists Bristol and Sullivan County lawyers who handle DUI defense, in alphabetical order, and the guide to choosing a DUI lawyer has questions to ask. This site cannot recommend a lawyer or predict how any case will turn out.

A Tennessee DUI is handled in the Tennessee court where you were charged, even if you live elsewhere. Your home state may also act on your license after a Tennessee conviction or refusal finding, under its own law. Ask a lawyer whether you must appear in person in Sullivan County.

A Tennessee resident whose license was revoked because of a DUI conviction in another state can apply to a court in their home county for a restricted license (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-409(b)(1)(B)). Rules can change; confirm with a licensed attorney.

Yes, in places. A 2025 change to the implied consent law made the revocation for refusing a blood test on a misdemeanor DUI arrest, with no prior conviction, one year and six months instead of one year (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-407(a)(1)(B)). The ignition interlock law has also changed over the years, and which version applies can depend on the date of the offense.

This site summarizes Tennessee law as of October 2026 and is reviewed when the law changes. Laws, penalties, and deadlines can change; confirm with the court or a licensed attorney.