{"data":{"id":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-502","jurisdiction":"us-tn","citation":"Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-502","heading":"False reports","body":"(a) It is unlawful for any person to: (1) Initiate a report or statement to a law enforcement officer concerning an offense or incident within the officer's concern knowing that: (A) The offense or incident reported did not occur; (B) The person has no information relating to the offense or incident reported; or (C) The information relating to the offense reported is false; or (2) Make a report or statement in response to a legitimate inquiry by a law enforcement officer concerning a material fact about an offense or incident within the officer's concern, knowing that the report or statement is false and with the intent to obstruct or hinder the officer from: (A) Preventing the offense or incident from occurring or continuing to occur; or (B) Apprehending or locating another person suspected of committing an offense; or (3) Intentionally initiate or circulate a report of a past, present, or impending bombing, active shooter, hostage situation, fire, or other emergency, knowing that the report is false or baseless and knowing: (A) It will cause action of any sort by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with those emergencies, including, but not limited to, action by a special weapons and tactics team or other division of law enforcement designed to deal with high-risk situations; (B) It will place a person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or (C) It will prevent or interrupt the occupation of: (i) Any building, place of assembly, form of conveyance, or any other place to which the public has access; or (ii) A private residence or residential building. (b) (1) A violation of subdivision (a)(1) or (a)(2) is a Class D felony. (2) A violation of subdivision (a)(3) is a Class C felony. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 794,s 1, eff. 7/1/2024. Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1990, ch. 1030, § 28; 1998, ch. 690, § 1; 2000, ch. 976, § 1; 2002, ch. 849, § 6.\n(a) It is unlawful for any person to: (1) Initiate a report or statement to a law enforcement officer concerning an offense or incident within the officer's concern knowing that: (A) The offense or incident reported did not occur; (B) The person has no information relating to the offense or incident reported; or (C) The information relating to the offense reported is false; or (2) Make a report or statement in response to a legitimate inquiry by a law enforcement officer concerning a material fact about an offense or incident within the officer's concern, knowing that the report or statement is false and with the intent to obstruct or hinder the officer from: (A) Preventing the offense or incident from occurring or continuing to occur; or (B) Apprehending or locating another person suspected of committing an offense; or (3) Intentionally initiate or circulate a report of a past, present, or impending bombing, active shooter, hostage situation, fire, or other emergency, knowing that the report is false or baseless and knowing: (A) It will cause action of any sort by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with those emergencies, including, but not limited to, action by a special weapons and tactics team or other division of law enforcement designed to deal with high-risk situations; (B) It will place a person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or (C) It will prevent or interrupt the occupation of: (i) Any building, place of assembly, form of conveyance, or any other place to which the public has access; or (ii) A private residence or residential building.\nspecial weapons and tactics team or other division of law enforcement designed to deal with high-risk situations; (B) It will place a person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or (C) It will prevent or interrupt the occupation of: (i) Any building, place of assembly, form of conveyance, or any other place to which the public has access; or (ii) A private residence or residential building.\n(1) Initiate a report or statement to a law enforcement officer concerning an offense or incident within the officer's concern knowing that: (A) The offense or incident reported did not occur; (B) The person has no information relating to the offense or incident reported; or (C) The information relating to the offense reported is false; or\n(A) The offense or incident reported did not occur;\n(B) The person has no information relating to the offense or incident reported; or\n(C) The information relating to the offense reported is false; or\n(2) Make a report or statement in response to a legitimate inquiry by a law enforcement officer concerning a material fact about an offense or incident within the officer's concern, knowing that the report or statement is false and with the intent to obstruct or hinder the officer from: (A) Preventing the offense or incident from occurring or continuing to occur; or (B) Apprehending or locating another person suspected of committing an offense; or\n(A) Preventing the offense or incident from occurring or continuing to occur; or\n(B) Apprehending or locating another person suspected of committing an offense; or\n(3) Intentionally initiate or circulate a report of a past, present, or impending bombing, active shooter, hostage situation, fire, or other emergency, knowing that the report is false or baseless and knowing: (A) It will cause action of any sort by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with those emergencies, including, but not limited to, action by a special weapons and tactics team or other division of law enforcement designed to deal with high-risk situations; (B) It will place a person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or (C) It will prevent or interrupt the occupation of: (i) Any building, place of assembly, form of conveyance, or any other place to which the public has access; or (ii) A private residence or residential building.\n(A) It will cause action of any sort by an official or volunteer agency organized to deal with those emergencies, including, but not limited to, action by a special weapons and tactics team or other division of law enforcement designed to deal with high-risk situations;\n(B) It will place a person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury; or\n(C) It will prevent or interrupt the occupation of: (i) Any building, place of assembly, form of conveyance, or any other place to which the public has access; or (ii) A private residence or residential building.\n(i) Any building, place of assembly, form of conveyance, or any other place to which the public has access; or\n(ii) A private residence or residential building.\n(b) (1) A violation of subdivision (a)(1) or (a)(2) is a Class D felony. (2) A violation of subdivision (a)(3) is a Class C felony.\n(1) A violation of subdivision (a)(1) or (a)(2) is a Class D felony.\n(2) A violation of subdivision (a)(3) is a Class C felony.","path":["TN Code","Title 39","Chapter 16"],"source_url":"https://oss-data-us.vaquill.ai/v2026.08/us_tn_statutes.parquet","current_through":"2026-08-14","vintage":"open-us-law v2026.08, retrieved 2026-09-14","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T18:32:26Z","sha256":"39f2c757fb7ad75aaed6a7ac9708ded7f161d8ed8d4f193f7bfab7909527a82f","source_id":"us-tn","stale":false,"prev":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-501","next":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-503"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}