(a) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

Attorney's Note

Under the Tennessee Code, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
class A misdemeanorup to 11 monthsup to $2,500
For details, see Tenn. Code § 40-35-111
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 40-7-118

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • 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.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. 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
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) “Citation” means an order prepared as a written or electronic citation and issued by a peace officer on paper or on an electronic data device requiring a person accused of violating the law to appear in a designated court or government office at a specified date and time. The signature of the person to whom the order is issued is required, and the order must be filed, electronically or otherwise, with a court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense;
(2) “Magistrate” means any state judicial officer, including the judge of a municipal court, having original trial jurisdiction over misdemeanors or felonies; and
(3)

(A) “Peace officer” means an officer, employee or agent of government who has a duty imposed by law to:

(i) Maintain public order;
(ii) Make arrests for offenses, whether that duty extends to all offenses or is limited to specific offenses; and
(iii) Investigate the commission or suspected commission of offenses; and
(B) “Peace officer” also includes an officer, employee or agent of government who has the duty or responsibility to enforce laws and regulations pertaining to forests in this state.
(b)

(1) A peace officer who has arrested a person for the commission of a misdemeanor committed in the peace officer’s presence, or who has taken custody of a person arrested by a private person for the commission of a misdemeanor, shall issue a citation to the arrested person to appear in court in lieu of the continued custody and the taking of the arrested person before a magistrate. If the peace officer is serving an arrest warrant or capias issued by a magistrate for the commission of a misdemeanor, it is in the discretion of the issuing magistrate whether the person is to be arrested and taken into custody or arrested and issued a citation in accordance with this section in lieu of continued custody. The warrant or capias shall specify the action to be taken by the serving peace officer who shall act accordingly.
(2)

(A) This subsection (b) does not apply to an arrest for the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant as prohibited by § 55-10-401, unless the offender was admitted to a hospital, or detained for medical treatment for a period of at least three (3) hours, for injuries received in a driving under the influence incident.
(B) This subsection (b) does not apply to any misdemeanor offense for which § 55-10-207 or § 55-12-139 authorizes a traffic citation in lieu of arrest, continued custody and the taking of the arrested person before a magistrate.
(3) A peace officer may issue a citation to the arrested person to appear in court in lieu of the continued custody and the taking of the arrested person before a magistrate if a person is arrested for:

(A) The offense of theft which formerly constituted shoplifting, in violation of § 39-14-103;
(B) Issuance of bad checks, in violation of § 39-14-121;
(C) Use of a revoked or suspended driver license in violation of § 55-50-504, § 55-50-601 or § 55-50-602;
(D) Assault or battery as those offenses are defined by common law, if the officer believes there is a reasonable likelihood that persons would be endangered by the arrested person if a citation were issued in lieu of continued physical custody of the defendant; or
(E) Prostitution, in violation of § 39-13-513, if the arresting party has knowledge of past conduct of the defendant in prostitution or has reasonable cause to believe that the defendant will attempt to engage in prostitution activities within a reasonable period of time if not arrested.
(c) A peace officer may arrest and take a person into custody if:

(1) A reasonable likelihood exists that the arrested person will fail to appear in court; or
(2) The prosecution of the offense for which the person was arrested, or of another offense, would thereby be jeopardized.
(d) No citation shall be issued under this section if:

(1) The person arrested requires medical examination or medical care, or if the person is unable to care for the person’s own safety;
(2) There is a reasonable likelihood that the offense would continue or resume, or that persons or property would be endangered by the arrested person;
(3) The person arrested cannot or will not offer satisfactory evidence of identification, including the providing of a field-administered fingerprint or thumbprint which a peace officer may require to be affixed to any citation;
(4) [Deleted by 2019 amendment.]
(5) [Deleted by 2019 amendment.]
(6) The person demands to be taken immediately before a magistrate or refuses to sign the citation;
(7) The person arrested is so intoxicated that the person could be a danger to the person’s own self or to others;
(8) There are one (1) or more outstanding arrest warrants for the person; or
(9) The person is subject to arrest pursuant to § 55-10-119.
(e)

(1) In issuing a citation, the officer shall:

(A) Prepare a citation that includes the name and address of the cited person, the offense charged, and the time and place of appearance;
(B) Have the offender sign the citation. The officer shall deliver one (1) copy to the offender and retain the other; and
(C) Release the cited person from custody.
(2)

(A) An electronic signature may be used to sign a citation issued electronically and has the same force and effect as a written signature.
(B) Whenever a citation is issued electronically, the officer shall provide the cited person with a paper copy of the citation.
(C) Replicas of citation data sent by electronic transmission must be sent within three (3) days of the issuance of the citation to the court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense.
(f) By accepting the citation, the defendant agrees to appear at the arresting law enforcement agency prior to trial to be booked and processed. Failure to so appear is a Class A misdemeanor.
(g) If the person cited fails to appear in court on the date and time specified or fails to appear for booking and processing prior to the person’s court date, the court shall issue a bench warrant for the person’s arrest.
(h) Whenever a citation has been prepared, delivered and filed with a court as provided in this section, a duplicate copy of the citation constitutes a complaint to which the defendant shall answer. The duplicate copy shall be sworn to by the issuing officer before any person authorized by law to administer oaths.
(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect a peace officer’s authority to conduct a lawful search even though the citation is issued after arrest.
(j) Any person who intentionally, knowingly or willfully fails to appear in court on the date and time specified on the citation or who knowingly gives a false or assumed name or address commits a Class A misdemeanor, regardless of the disposition of the charge for which the person was originally arrested. Proof that the defendant failed to appear when required constitutes prima facie evidence that the failure to appear is willful.
(k) Whenever an officer makes a physical arrest for a misdemeanor and the officer determines that a citation cannot be issued because of one (1) of the seven (7) reasons enumerated in subsection (d), the officer shall note the reason for not issuing a citation on the arrest ticket. An officer who, on the basis of facts reasonably known or reasonably believed to exist, determines that a citation cannot be issued because of one (1) of the seven (7) reasons enumerated in subsection (d) shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability for false arrest, false imprisonment or unlawful detention.
(l)

(1) Each citation issued pursuant to this section shall have printed on it in large, conspicuous block letters the following:

NOTICE: FAILURE TO APPEAR IN COURT ON THE DATE ASSIGNED BY THIS CITATION OR AT THE APPROPRIATE POLICE STATION FOR BOOKING AND PROCESSING WILL RESULT IN YOUR ARREST FOR A SEPARATE CRIMINAL OFFENSE WHICH IS PUNISHABLE BY A JAIL SENTENCE OF ELEVEN (11) MONTHS AND TWENTY-NINE (29) DAYS AND/OR A FINE OF UP TO TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($2,500).

(2) Each person receiving a citation under this section shall sign this citation indicating the knowledge of the notice listed in subdivision (l)(1). The signature of each person creates a presumption of knowledge of the notice and a presumption of intent to violate this section if the person should not appear as required by the citation.
(3) Whenever there are changes in the citation form notice required by this subsection (l), a law enforcement agency may exhaust its existing supply of citation forms before implementing the new citation forms.
(m) This section shall govern all aspects of the issuance of citations in lieu of the continued custody of an arrested person, notwithstanding any provision of Rule 3.5 of the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure to the contrary.
(n) In cases in which:

(1) The public will not be endangered by the continued freedom of the suspected misdemeanant; and
(2) The law enforcement officer has reasonable proof of the identity of the suspected misdemeanant,
(3) [Deleted by 2019 amendment.]

the general assembly finds that the issuance of a citation in lieu of arrest of the suspected misdemeanant will result in cost savings and increased public safety by allowing the use of jail space for dangerous individuals and/or felons and by keeping officers on patrol. Accordingly, the general assembly encourages all law enforcement agencies to so utilize misdemeanor citations and to encourage their personnel to use those citations when reasonable and according to law.

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