Allison Burchett waives right to be formally arraigned, hearing set

Allison Burchett

Allison Burchett waived her right to be formally arraigned in Knox County Criminal Court on 13 counts of identity theft, computer crimes and tampering with evidence.

A Nov. 17 status hearing has been set for Burchett, who did not appear in court Thursday.

Arraignments are held so that the court can read the formal charges against a defendant.

Seven of the charges she faces are felonies, including six identify theft charges, and one tampering with evidence charge, a Class C crime, which carries three to 15 years imprisonment. The other six charges - computer crimes - are misdemeanors.

Allison Burchett is the former wife of Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett. The two divorced in 2012.

During Thursday’s arraignment, Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steven Sword told Burchett’s attorney, David Eldridge, that he “is not a close personal friend of (Tim Burchett), but we are friends.”

Sword noted that he signed the search warrant authorities used to obtain evidence against her.
Sword told Eldridge that if Allison Burchett felt he had a conflict presiding over her case that he would listen to arguments, but that he didn’t believe there was a conflict.

Eldridge said he would discuss the matter with Allison Burchett and get back with the court.