About John C
John C Barnes built his legal foundation at the University of Tennessee. He earned a B.A. in Political Science in 2006, then stayed in Knoxville for law school, receiving his J.D. in 2009 from the University of Tennessee College of Law. Those years set the stage for a practice centered on criminal defense and impaired driving matters.
He entered practice after law school, joining The Law Offices of James A.H. Bell, P.C. in 2009. Two years later he moved to The Garza Law Office, PLLC, where he continued representing clients in criminal cases. By 2014 he had established Barnes Law Office and later became a principal in Barnes & Fersten. Along the way he gained admission to the Tennessee bar and credentialing to appear before state and federal tribunals, including the Tennessee Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, and the Sixth Circuit.
Barnes has pursued training tied to the courtroom realities he faces. He holds a certificate in NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing and lists membership in the National College for DUI Defense and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Those credentials inform how he prepares for impaired driving proceedings and related hearings. He also maintains memberships in the Tennessee Bar Association, Knoxville Bar Association, Tennessee Association for Justice, Tennessee Trial Lawyers, and the Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Colleagues describe Barnes as methodical in case preparation. He spends time on investigative work and on the technical aspects of testing and evidence. In court he presses challenges to procedure and proof. He handles trials, pretrial motions and post-conviction issues, and represents clients at administrative hearings when needed.
Outside the courtroom he participates in professional groups that address trial skills and criminal defense strategy. He has kept ties to organizations that focus specifically on DUI defense, a thread that runs through his practice history. He continues to accept cases through Barnes & Fersten and handles a caseload that centers on criminal defense and impaired driving matters.
