Depends where in Tennessee it occured.
I've gotten probably 15 tickets in the past few years, 6 in Tennessee (not to mention all the times I get stopped and the ofcr. just gives me a verbal warning) and my driving record is spotless. They never went on my driving record.
How to handle it depends on where you got the ticket.
In Nashville and Lebanon you need to go to traffic school to keep it off your record.
In one s.w. Tennessee County, the Trooper tells you at the time he cites you, that if you show up and plead guilty, you'll be fined but it stays off your record, but if you just mail the fine in, it will show up on your record. I showed up and plead guilty. It never showed on my record.
In another s.w. Tennessee county, the ofcr. told me if I pay the fine within 10 days it won't show on my record. He was right.
I got a ticket in Westmoreland. They have a travelling judge who serves multiple parts of the state.
There was a disgruntled retired cop there who is pee'd off because he got screwed on his pension. He pulls people aside and tells you how to beat the tickets. In my case, He told me the cop who gave me the ticket was the "fat slob son of a councilman", and as such, hadn't been required to be radar certified and if I plead not guilty, the judge would just dismiss the ticket. Sure enough, she had me wait until all other defendant's had cleared the room and she then dismissed the case.
Call a traffic atty. in Dickson, it's a small town, he'll know what can be done in that court.
