[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6286826,"mediaKeyId","2556548-d98b5a37f61b7969c346c3c4177e1ef7","parentId",2556548,"title","Cheatham County court sets July 8 final-plea day for many cases; several defendants enter pleas or no-contest agreements","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",894000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556548-d98b5a37f61b7969c346c3c4177e1ef7&start=894&end=894","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556548-d98b5a37f61b7969c346c3c4177e1ef7/thumbnail_894000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6286826/Tennessee/Cheatham-County-court-sets-July-8-final-plea-day-for-many-cases-several-defendants-enter-pleas-or-no-contest-agreements","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286826-47047e56b51727314077b05d0d336ea7/orig.mp4?Expires=1777497781&Signature=lsWpoC8N-Z6abd2FrRdBz-GJpCVywA0WNgS8PrQzYYqnG7HxESTunwgQLJQNO7jO~h2YTdNy-oPNudYLwULGmccIg8n5axl-1FylYGqYBJtp1VVdwSInqpBhST8U1tX6MOkOl4gkJwlXqjeEsZGzViDVW7vcfQ0A7RvOtywsO3GqRsAqP9Yb1KN6WcO4M9HFR~h6ZKfmV7Xu806kaoN8WC7h71K~2Q~7AbNFhGaptJlKeue95LB7R1A3rVr5KZeT4cJbluqnUdOXp3V2L~gpBdIgaJ0lKs5C8pvBXDt1RnyM7meOosVI-auYefMsvxcZUG01Wl0bIMbDh-BoA7LL~A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Judge David D. Wolfe","date","2025-03-12T04:56:51Z","article","The presiding judge at a Cheatham County criminal docket repeatedly set July 8 as the final plea day for many pending criminal cases, advising that cases not resolved by that date would be assigned trial dates. The court handled arraignments, appointed counsel for indigent defendants and accepted several guilty or no-contest pleas resulting in jail time, suspended sentences or Department of Correction commitments.

Why it matters: The judge’s use of a single \"final plea\" date is part of a calendar-management practice the court applied to dozens of matters on the docket. Defendants who do not reach plea agreements by that deadline face trial dates and potential incarceration; several defendants in the session resolved their cases and received sentences or suspended sentences.

Key pleas and outcomes recorded in the session included:
- Tracy Lee Lankford pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to six years in the Tennessee Department of Correction as a Range II offender, with the sentence ordered to be served at 100% (the court also imposed concurrent/probationary conditions across related counts and required recovery meetings as a condition of probation). (Transcript: plea colloquy and court findings.)
- Dylan Robert Duke pleaded no contest to a felony criminal information and received a two-year Tennessee Department of Correction sentence as a Range I offender, to be served concurrently with an out-of-county Robertson County sentence; the court suspended a driver's license for six months and dismissed several consolidated general-sessions counts. (Transcript: factual proffer by the state and court acceptance.)
- Joseph R. Ford entered a no-contest plea to aggravated assault (count 1); counts 2 and 3 were dismissed. The judge imposed a three-year Tennessee Department of Correction sentence suspended to probation; the court assessed costs and instructed the defendant to meet with probation services.
- James Duane Heath entered a no-contest plea to domestic assault (a misdemeanor); the court accepted the plea and imposed 11 months, 29 days suspended to probation.

The court also appointed or confirmed counsel for multiple defendants who asked for or qualified for representation — including appointment of public defenders for indigent defendants and retention/appointment of private counsel (e.g., Sunny Stevens was appointed in a case where a conflict existed for the public defender’s office).

The judge repeatedly told defendants that July 8 would be the last status/plea date and that failure to settle would mean assignment of trial dates. Several arraignments were set instead for March 18 for matters that prosecutors or defense counsel said needed short additional time.

Ending
The docket session produced a mix of case resolutions and scheduling orders intended to move long‑pending matters toward plea or trial. The July 8 final plea deadline will determine which cases proceed to trial if not resolved earlier.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","3-11-25 Cheatham Criminal Docket","oneSentenceSummary","During a docket session the court set a July 8 \"final plea\" date for numerous arraignments and accepted several plea/no-contest agreements, including multi-year sentences and suspended terms; public defenders were appointed in multiple cases.","taxTitle","Judge David D. Wolfe State of Tennessee, Judicial, Tennessee","taxId",66321,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6286831,"Judge reinstates $25,000 bond for Tannen Willis after contested withdrawal and bond-revocation hearing",1487,5631000,7118000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2556548-d98b5a37f61b7969c346c3c4177e1ef7&start=5631&end=7118","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2556548-d98b5a37f61b7969c346c3c4177e1ef7/thumbnail_5631000.jpg","/articles/6286831/Tennessee/Judge-reinstates-25000-bond-for-Tannen-Willis-after-contested-withdrawal-and-bond-revocation-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6286831-2e29401a1be53750ef353ba651d9aa32/orig.mp4?Expires=1777497781&Signature=OsiDmGHJ4Ftp-hEo0YqIxyaOhSsSr5X1kcg3mDXTOnrRuS9Iu0l-HillGLHhTE-6EaisNHFme3N-sVRUYtM0SKd98GKrfFfcTal-qL4l2eg4ucX7ToKU6dB34UV9rpPS8GA9hJFtyhEH363fXFc4~QzyU8DWnPqJWWfm132wDdnvETtD3W0rhk6HqmWZ0M9xi2UAFuGj3OUEhr7G2lpo1yNKghLtw1J9Ti76ZAhaPUhRGbj2gMjymUr5DaorHbHmNT0YLzG1CbxqoL7bJCRmtC3taho1LfSec5icLHwo9E5XsodYXuL8EGPJ2hVjZ9nKUDpKhTnse48bHXMnCVrjhQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Cheatham County judge on a criminal docket hearing granted a motion to reinstate the bond for defendant Tannen Willis and restored the original $25,000 bond after a contested hearing over whether Willis had failed to stay in contact with his former attorney.

The hearing examined a prior docket entry that recorded a motion to withdraw by defense counsel S. S. Richards and an order that had revoked Willis' bond, noting “no contact with an attorney.” Willis and multiple witnesses told the court he had attempted to contact his lawyer and was present in court the day the withdrawal motion was heard. Public defender Mr. Vaughn testified he saw Willis in court that day and confirmed contact attempts. Richards’ motion to withdraw cited Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 1.16 and said communication had broken down.

The judge described the statutory purpose of bond — to ensure a defendant's appearance — and said the one-line docket entry stating the bond was revoked for lack of contact was “somewhat suspect” in light of testimony that Willis had attempted to contact his attorney. The court found the record did not clearly support continued revocation and ordered the prior $25,000 bond reinstated. The judge said party bonding (Pardue Bonding) could remain on the bond if that company agreed.

The judge also set a final plea day in July as the last opportunity to resolve the case by agreement and scheduled a trial date in mid‑July if no agreement is reached. The court confirmed counsel would represent the defendant going forward and instructed counsel and defense to proceed with discovery and preparation under the new schedule.

Observers in court discussed the practical effects: a bond reinstatement restores the defendant’s opportunity to be released under the former terms (if the bonding company remains), but the judge cautioned the defendant and counsel that the July final-plea schedule would be enforced and that trial would follow if the case was not resolved.

Ending
The judge granted the motion to reinstate the bond and restored the original $25,000 bond amount; whether the same bonding company will remain is subject to the bonding company’s agreement. The court set a final plea day in July and a mid‑July trial date if the case is not resolved beforehand.","After testimony and conflicting accounts about whether the defendant stayed in contact with his lawyer, the court granted a motion to reinstate bond for Tannen Willis, restoring a $25,000 bond and scheduling a final plea day and trial date.","actionData","errors"]

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Cheatham County court sets July 8 final-plea day for many cases; several defendants enter pleas or no-contest agreements

Judge reinstates $25,000 bond for Tannen Willis after contested withdrawal and bond-revocation hearing