(a) No person shall intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carry on or about the person while inside any building in which judicial proceedings are in progress any weapon prohibited by § 39-17-1302(a), for the purpose of going armed; provided, that if the weapon carried is a firearm, the person is in violation of this section regardless of whether the weapon is carried for the purpose of going armed.

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
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
criminal case

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 39-17-1306

  • Bailiff: a court officer who enforces the rules of behavior in courtrooms.
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Force: means compulsion by the use of physical power or violence and shall be broadly construed to accomplish the purposes of this title. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Handgun: means any firearm with a barrel length of less than twelve inches (12") that is designed, made or adapted to be fired with one (1) hand. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • Law enforcement officer: includes a sheriff, sheriff's deputy, and, only for purposes of the enhancement of a crime, a deputy jailer. 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
  • Property: means anything of value, including, but not limited to, money, real estate, tangible or intangible personal property, including anything severed from land, library material, contract rights, choses-in-action, interests in or claims to wealth, credit, admission or transportation tickets, captured or domestic animals, food and drink, electric or other power. See Tennessee Code 39-11-106
  • 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
  • United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) Any person violating subsection (a) commits a Class E felony.
(c) Subsection (a) shall not apply to any person who:

(1) Is in the actual discharge of official duties as a law enforcement officer, or is employed in the army, air force, navy, coast guard or marine service of the United States or any member of the Tennessee national guard in the line of duty and pursuant to military regulations, or is in the actual discharge of official duties as a guard employed by a penal institution, or as a bailiff, marshal or other court officer who has responsibility for protecting persons or property or providing security;
(2) Has been directed by a court to bring the firearm for purposes of providing evidence;
(3) Is in the actual discharge of official duties as a judge, and:

(A) Is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351;
(B) Keeps the handgun concealed at all times when in the discharge of such duties; and
(C) Is vested with judicial powers under § 16-1-101;
(4) Is in the actual discharge of official duties as an elected official of any county or municipality, and:

(A) Is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351; and
(B) Is not in the room in which judicial proceedings are in progress; or
(5) Is in the actual discharge of official duties as the county attorney of any county in this state, and:

(A) Is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351; and
(B) Is not in the room in which judicial proceedings are in progress.
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