After an arrest, the urge to explain yourself online is strong. Friends are asking questions, rumors are spreading, and a single post feels like a way to set the record straight. At Turnbow Law, we tell clients in Wilson, Sumner, and Davidson counties the same thing every time: don’t post about your case. Here are five reasons why, followed by five Middle Tennessee attorneys you can talk to before you say anything publicly.
Why shouldn’t you post about your criminal case online?
1. Can prosecutors use your posts as evidence?
Yes. Under Tennessee Rule of Evidence 803(1.2), a statement you make yourself can be offered against you as an admission by a party-opponent. That includes posts, comments, captions, and direct messages. A joke, a sarcastic reply, or a photo with a time stamp can be read very differently in a courtroom than it was meant online.
2. Will privacy settings keep your posts private?
No. Anyone who can see a post can screenshot it, and friends, exes, and alleged victims often hand those screenshots to police. Law enforcement can also seek account records from platforms with a warrant or court order under the federal Stored Communications Act. Deleted content can sometimes be recovered from a device or the platform’s servers. Treat every post as if the prosecutor will read it.
3. Can a post violate your bond conditions?
It can. Tennessee’s standard bail order for domestic abuse cases defines contact to include social media, so tagging, messaging, or even posting something aimed at the alleged victim may break a no-contact order. Under Tenn. Code Ann. 39-13-113, knowingly violating that order is a Class A misdemeanor, and it can also cost you your bond.
4. Is it safe to delete old posts?
Not on your own. Under Tenn. Code Ann. 39-16-503, destroying or concealing something to keep it from being used as evidence, while knowing an investigation or proceeding is pending, is tampering with evidence, a Class C felony. Courts have applied similar laws to deleted social media; in 2024, the D.C. Court of Appeals upheld a tampering conviction over a deleted Instagram post in Webb v. United States. Talk to your lawyer before removing anything, and stop posting new content instead.
5. Can social media hurt your chances at sentencing or diversion?
Yes. When a judge decides whether to grant judicial diversion or probation, Tennessee courts consider factors such as your amenability to correction and your social history. Photos of partying while on bond, angry posts about the alleged victim, or comments mocking the charges can undercut everything your attorney argues about your character.
What should you do instead?
Set accounts to private, stop posting and commenting about anything connected to the case, and don’t message witnesses. Ask family members not to post on your behalf. If someone sends you messages about the case, save them and share them with your attorney rather than responding.
Who can help you protect your case in Middle Tennessee?
- Turnbow Law (Chad Turnbow, Esq.)
- Frank Lannom, Lannom & Williams
- Lindsey Johnson, Kane Law
- Carla Grebert
- Roland F. Mumford
1. Turnbow Law (Chad Turnbow, Esq.)
Turnbow Law is a Mt. Juliet criminal defense practice led by attorney Chad Turnbow, Esq. The firm represents people charged with misdemeanors and felonies across Middle Tennessee, including Lebanon, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Portland, and Nashville. Its practice covers domestic violence, assault, DUI, drug charges, theft and property crimes, probation violations, and juvenile cases.
That can include reviewing what’s already online before it becomes a problem, advising on what to preserve, and keeping you from saying something that complicates your defense. Every case depends on its own facts, and prior results don’t guarantee a similar outcome.
2. Frank Lannom, Lannom & Williams
Frank Lannom practices with Lannom & Williams in the Mt. Juliet area.
3. Lindsey Johnson, Kane Law
Lindsey Johnson practices with Kane Law in the Lebanon and Wilson County area.
4. Carla Grebert
Carla Grebert is an attorney serving the Hermitage, Donelson, and Madison area.
5. Roland F. Mumford
Roland F. Mumford is an attorney practicing in the Hendersonville area.
Let your attorney do the talking
Social media feels informal, but in a criminal case it becomes a permanent record that the other side can read, print, and use. Staying quiet online isn’t an admission of anything. It keeps your options open while your defense is built. If you’ve already posted, don’t panic and don’t start deleting. Talk with a criminal defense attorney about what to do next.
