(a) Any person who obstructs the navigation of the main channel of any navigable river or other stream, by building mills, erecting dams or locks, in or across the same, unless authorized by law, or by any other means whatever, shall be liable to a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250), one half (½) to the use of the person who sues for it and the other one half (½) to the use of the state.

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class C misdemeanorup to 30 daysup to $50
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 69-1-107

  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) In addition to the civil penalty in subsection (a), such obstruction of the main channel of any navigable river or other stream is a Class C misdemeanor.