Domestic Assault Defense
Since January 1, 2026, Tennessee has kept a public, searchable list of people convicted of more than one domestic violence offense. It is the first registry of its kind in the country, and most people facing a second domestic case have no idea it exists. If that is your situation, this page explains exactly how it works — who it applies to, how long a listing lasts, and the one condition that has to be satisfied before a court can order it at all.
The short version: this is not automatic, it does not apply to a first case, and it cannot be ordered unless the alleged victim in the current case agrees to it. Those three facts matter more than anything else on this page.
Brooks Law Firm defends domestic assault charges in Shelby County and across West Tennessee. Call (901) 324-5000, or call or text (901) 412-2973. Se habla español.
What Savanna’s Law Is
Savanna’s Law is codified at Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 40-39-401 and 40-39-402. It passed as House Bill 1200, was signed on May 21, 2025, and took effect January 1, 2026. It directs the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to maintain an online registry of persistent domestic violence offenders, free to search and open to the public.
The law is named for Savanna Puckett, a Middle Tennessee sheriff’s deputy killed in 2022 by a former partner who had a documented history of domestic assault arrests. Understanding that origin helps explain the statute’s shape: it is aimed squarely at repeat conduct, which is why a single conviction does not trigger it.
Who It Actually Applies To
A “persistent domestic violence offender” is a person convicted of at least two offenses committed against a domestic abuse victim. In practice, two things must both be true before a court orders registration:
- A conviction for a qualifying offense committed on or after January 1, 2026, and
- At least one qualifying prior conviction for an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim.
One detail catches people out: the prior conviction does not have to post-date the new law. An old case from years ago can serve as the qualifying prior. What must fall on or after January 1, 2026 is the current offense.
The Victim-Consent Condition
This is the most important provision in the statute for anyone facing a second case, and it is the one least often mentioned. A court will not order registration unless the domestic abuse victim in the current case agrees to it, or is unavailable for that determination.
Two things follow from that, and they need saying plainly. First, registration is a distinct question from guilt, addressed separately, and it is a proper subject of advocacy at sentencing rather than an automatic consequence of a plea. Second — and this is the part that needs care — it is not an invitation to contact the alleged victim. Doing so while a case is pending routinely violates a no-contact order or bond condition, creates a new charge, and can be charged as witness coercion. Whatever is going to be said about registration gets said through counsel, in court, on the record.
Which Offenses Qualify
As of the July 1, 2026 amendments, the qualifying list reaches well past domestic assault. Each of these counts where the offense was committed against a domestic abuse victim:
- Domestic assault, and felonies under title 39, chapter 13 — which includes aggravated assault and assault by strangulation
- Stalking and harassment
- Theft and vandalism
- Violations of a protective order
- Abuse or sexual exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult, and sexual exploitation of a minor
That breadth is the practical surprise. A vandalism or theft conviction arising from a domestic dispute is not a minor property case any more — it can become the prior that puts a later conviction on a public list. It is a strong reason to treat a small domestic-adjacent charge as something worth resolving carefully rather than quickly.
“Domestic abuse victim” is a defined relationship category, covering spouses and former spouses, people who live together or have lived together, dating partners, relatives by blood or adoption, in-laws, and certain children of those relationships.
How Long a Listing Lasts
The registration period is set by the number of qualifying priors and runs from the most recent conviction:
- One prior conviction — 5 years
- Two priors — 7 years
- Three priors — 10 years
- Four or more priors — 20 years
There is also a fee of $150 — $50 retained for administering the registry and $100 directed to family violence prevention services.
What the Public Sees
The registry displays the person’s name, date of birth, conviction date, the county or counties of conviction, and a photograph. Home address, Social Security number, driver’s licence number, and federal or state identification numbers are not published.
It is worth being clear-eyed about what a listing means in practice. It is free and searchable, so an employer, a landlord, or anyone else who looks will find it — and unlike a conviction on a background check, it requires no records request to discover. That is the real weight of this consequence, and it is why it belongs in the conversation before any plea is entered rather than after.
What This Means If You Are Charged Now
If this is a first domestic case, the registry does not apply to you — but the conviction you take today becomes the qualifying prior for anything that happens later. A domestic assault conviction also can never be expunged in Tennessee, so the first case carries more weight than its misdemeanor classification suggests.
If this is a second case, registration is a separate issue that deserves separate attention: whether the prior actually qualifies, whether the relationship meets the statutory definition, whether the current offense falls on or after January 1, 2026, and the consent condition. Each of those is a real question with a real answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a first domestic assault conviction put me on the registry?
No. Registration requires a conviction for a qualifying offense committed on or after January 1, 2026 plus at least one qualifying prior conviction against a domestic abuse victim. A single conviction does not trigger it — but it can become the prior that matters in a later case.
Can the registry be avoided if the alleged victim does not want it?
The statute provides that a court will not order registration unless the domestic abuse victim in the current case agrees to it, or is unavailable for that determination. That makes it a matter to address through counsel at sentencing. It is never a reason to contact the alleged victim directly, which can violate a no-contact order and create new charges.
Can an old conviction count as the prior?
Yes. The qualifying prior does not have to post-date the law. Only the current offense must have been committed on or after January 1, 2026.
How long does a listing stay up?
Five years with one qualifying prior, seven with two, ten with three, and twenty with four or more, measured from the most recent conviction.
Is only domestic assault a qualifying offense?
No. Since the July 1, 2026 amendments the list also includes theft, vandalism, harassment, stalking, protective order violations, abuse or exploitation of an elderly or vulnerable adult, sexual exploitation of a minor, and felonies under title 39, chapter 13 — each where committed against a domestic abuse victim.
Talk to a Memphis Domestic Assault Defense Lawyer
If you are facing a second domestic case, the registration question should be on the table from the first setting, not raised at sentencing. Brooks Law Firm — (901) 324-5000, or call or text (901) 412-2973. General information only, not legal advice; whether the registry applies depends on the specific facts, dates, and record in your case.