David G. Ridings

David G. Ridings is a Nashville criminal defense attorney with nearly 30 years of experience representing individuals charged with criminal offenses throughout Middle Tennessee. He is the founder of Ridings Law Group, PC, established in 1998, and has built a reputation for strategic, experienced, and results-driven defense.

What sets Mr. Ridings apart is his uncommon breadth of experience within the criminal justice system. Before becoming a defense attorney, he served for a decade as a police officer with the Metro Nashville Police Department, gaining firsthand knowledge of law enforcement procedures, investigations, and arrest practices. He later trained with the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office, providing insight into how criminal cases are reviewed and prosecuted.

Today, in addition to his work as a defense attorney, Mr. Ridings serves as a Night Court Judicial Magistrate in Nashville, a position to which he was appointed by the General Sessions Court judges in 2023. This role gives him a unique, real-time perspective on how cases are evaluated at the judicial level.

Theodore, now with nearly four decades of experience across law enforcement, prosecution, defense, and the bench, Mr. Ridings offers clients a comprehensive understanding of how criminal cases are built—and how they can be challenged, and how they can succeed in front of a Judge or jury.

His practice focuses exclusively on criminal defense, including:

• DUI and impaired driving cases
• Drug charges and search and seizure issues
• Violent crimes and serious felony offenses
• Domestic assault allegations
• Weapons and gun-related charges
• White collar and fraud offenses
• Vehicular Crimes
• Personal Crimes and
• Property Crime

Mr. Ridings approaches each case with the understanding that no two situations are alike. He develops tailored defense strategies designed to protect his clients’ rights, challenge the evidence, and pursue the best possible outcome—whether through dismissal, negotiation, or trial.

He is also the author of the book “I Don’t Answer Questions,” which educates individuals on their constitutional rights during police encounters and emphasizes the importance of exercising those rights.

When facing criminal charges or an investigation, the decisions made early in a case can have lasting consequences. Mr. Ridings is committed to guiding clients through that process with experience, clarity, and a focus on protecting their future.