What Does " Bound Over " Mean ?
Criminal law creates it's own unique terminology. One of the common phrases is " Bound Over ". Most criminal cases in Tennessee start at the General Sessions Court . If the case cannot be settled at the General Sessions Court , a citizen accused of a crime can have a preliminary hearing or waive your right to hearing . The court will bind over your case to the next meeting of the Grand Jury . So once your case is " Bound Over " , the case is in a state of limbo until the Grand Jury acts on the case . The time limit of how long the case is bound over varies from jurisdiction . In Nashville , Tennessee criminal cases , it could be months . In other counties such as Williamson , Sumner , and Cheatham , you are given your arraignment date once the case is bound over or transferred to the Grand Jury.
