(a) It is an offense for a person to knowingly spy upon, observe or otherwise view an individual, when the individual is in a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, without the prior effective consent of the individual, if the viewing:

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class E felony1 to 6 yearsup to $3,000
class A misdemeanorup to 11 monthsup to $2,500
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
criminal case

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-13-607

  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Defendant: means a person accused of an offense under this title and includes any person who aids or abets the commission of such offense. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Effective consent: means assent in fact, whether express or apparent, including assent by one legally authorized to act for another. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • Minor: means any person under eighteen (18) years of age. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Person: includes the singular and the plural and means and includes any individual, firm, partnership, copartnership, association, corporation, governmental subdivision or agency, or other organization or other legal entity, or any agent or servant thereof. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • 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
(1) Would offend or embarrass an ordinary person if the person knew the person was being viewed; and
(2) Was for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification of the defendant.
(b) It is not a defense to a violation of this section that the defendant was lawfully on the premises where the offense occurred.
(c) If the person being viewed is a minor, this section is violated regardless of whether the minor or the minor’s parent or guardian consented to the viewing.
(d)

(1) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
(2) A violation of this section is a Class E felony if the victim is under thirteen (13) years of age at the time the offense is committed.
(e) Nothing in this section shall preclude the state from electing to prosecute conduct in violation of this section under any other applicable section.
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