Arrested in Bristol: Tennessee side or Virginia side?

Two cities, two states

Bristol, Tennessee and Bristol, Virginia share a downtown, but the state line runs down the middle of State Street. Each city has its own police department, and each state has its own courts and its own DUI law. A DUI arrest is handled under the law of the state where it happened.

How to tell which side your case is on

Check your paperwork:

• The agency. Bristol Tennessee Police, the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office, or the Tennessee Highway Patrol point to Tennessee.
• The court. A Tennessee case names Sullivan County General Sessions Court or another Sullivan County court.
• The law cited. Tennessee DUI is charged under Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-401.

If anything is unclear, call the clerk for the court named on your paperwork.

If your case is in Virginia

This site does not cover Virginia law, and nothing here should be read as describing it. Virginia's rules on license suspension, testing, and penalties are different. Start with:

• the Virginia Judicial System for courts and case information;
• the Virginia DMV for license questions;
• a lawyer licensed in Virginia.

If you live in one state and were arrested in the other

The case stays in the state where it happened. Your home state may also act on your license under its own law. A lawyer can explain how the two states' rules interact for you.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Laws and penalties can change.