The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, on behalf of the Davidson County Sheriff's Office (DCSO), has filed motions in Circuit Court to order the State of Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC) to appear in Court and answer why it has failed to comply with numerous lawful sentencing orders from the Court to assume custody of certain inmates sentenced to TDOC custody.
Metro's indefinite housing of these inmates has cost the city more than $5 million.
"Soon after I took office in 2023, Sheriff Hall began expressing his concerns about the severe overcrowding issues in his jails which both created management and financial burdens," said Mayor Freddie O'Connell. "Metro is currently subsidizing the State by more than $5 million a year by housing inmates that the state should be housing. That is not acceptable or sustainable."
As of April 30, the sheriff is still housing at least 10 inmates who have been sentenced by Division I Criminal Court Judge Steve R. Dozier. Metro has filed 10 separate motions asking the Court to schedule a show cause hearing to compel TDOC to explain why it has failed to abide by the Court's order.
Metro Director of Law Wally Dietz wrote Governor Lee in December 2025, asking the State to take custody of its prisoners.
"We tried to bring this to the State's attention outside the public eye and without litigation", said Dietz. "We did not receive an acceptable response, so we had no choice but to seek relief from the Court," Dietz said.
Metro is currently considering filing separate legal action with the Claims Commission to recoup the funding.
