Your First Visit to Smith County Jail (TN): Where to Sign Up, When to Go, and What to Expect
Visiting someone in jail for the first time can feel overwhelming—especially when you're trying to figure out the schedule. This guide covers which day to go, when to sign up, and what to wear so you don't get turned away at the door.
Women's visitation at Smith County Jail is Tuesday and Sunday. Plan your trip around those days if the person you're visiting is in a women's unit.
Men's visitation is Monday and Saturday. If your loved one is in a men's unit, those are your two options.
Visiting hours run from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Structure your day around that window.
Sign-up happens in person the day of your visit. Head to the Low-Risk Facility between 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to get on the list. Don't cut it close - give yourself time to sign up and still make the visiting hours.
Visits last 20 minutes. It goes fast - especially if you haven't seen each other in a while. Walking in with a rough idea of what you want to talk about helps.
- ✓ Decide your top 2–3 updates before you walk in so you don’t spend half the time getting oriented
- ✓ If you need answers (court dates, property questions, next steps), write your questions down so you don’t forget them
- ✓ Use the last few minutes to agree on a follow-up plan (who will call who, what information you’ll try to find out next)
- ✓ Keep paperwork and details organized at home so you can quickly reference them after the visit
Revealing or see-through clothing isn't allowed. If you're second-guessing an outfit, go with something more conservative. Getting turned away at the door is a hard way to end your day.
Watch your sleeves. They can't be shorter than halfway down your upper arm, which rules out most tank tops and very short sleeves.
Spandex and tights are off-limits. If your outfit includes leggings or tight stretchy material, change before you leave home.
Bottoms matter too. Dresses, skirts, and shorts can't sit above mid-thigh. Pick something that clearly falls below that line.
Skip anything with obscene language, offensive images, or gang-related symbols. Plain and neutral is your safest bet.
Visiting someone on trustee status? Different schedule. Trustee visitation runs 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with sign-up from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM.
Questions about classification or transport? The jail lists Diana Dewberry as the Inmate Classification/Commitments Transport Coordinator - she's the person to contact for those issues.
Need to file a formal records request? The Smith County Sheriff's website has a Public Information Requests section. Use that for official requests rather than general questions.
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