{"data":{"id":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-609","jurisdiction":"us-tn","citation":"Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-609","heading":"Failure to appear","body":"(a) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly fail to appear as directed by a lawful authority if the person: (1) Has been lawfully issued a criminal summons pursuant to § 40-6-215 ; (2) Has been lawfully commanded to appear for booking and processing pursuant to a criminal summons issued in accordance with § 40-6-215 ; (3) Has been lawfully issued a citation in lieu of arrest under § 40-7-118 ; (4) Has been lawfully released from custody, with or without bail, on condition of subsequent appearance at an official proceeding or penal institution at a specified time or place; or (5) Knowingly goes into hiding to avoid prosecution or court appearance. (b) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that: (1) The appearance is required by a probation and parole officer as an incident of probation or parole supervision; or (2) The person had a reasonable excuse for failure to appear at the specified time and place. (c) Nothing in this section shall apply to witnesses. (d) Failure to appear is a Class A misdemeanor. (e) Any sentence received for a violation of this section must be ordered to be served consecutively to any sentence received for the offense for which the defendant failed to appear. (f) [Deleted by 2019 amendment.] Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 486,s 4, eff. 7/1/2019. Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1990, ch. 709, § 1; 1990, ch. 980, § 16; 1997, ch. 317, § 1; 1998, ch. 1049, § 15; 2004, ch. 727, § 1.\n(a) It is unlawful for any person to knowingly fail to appear as directed by a lawful authority if the person: (1) Has been lawfully issued a criminal summons pursuant to § 40-6-215 ; (2) Has been lawfully commanded to appear for booking and processing pursuant to a criminal summons issued in accordance with § 40-6-215 ; (3) Has been lawfully issued a citation in lieu of arrest under § 40-7-118 ; (4) Has been lawfully released from custody, with or without bail, on condition of subsequent appearance at an official proceeding or penal institution at a specified time or place; or (5) Knowingly goes into hiding to avoid prosecution or court appearance.\n(1) Has been lawfully issued a criminal summons pursuant to § 40-6-215 ;\n(2) Has been lawfully commanded to appear for booking and processing pursuant to a criminal summons issued in accordance with § 40-6-215 ;\n(3) Has been lawfully issued a citation in lieu of arrest under § 40-7-118 ;\n(4) Has been lawfully released from custody, with or without bail, on condition of subsequent appearance at an official proceeding or penal institution at a specified time or place; or\n(5) Knowingly goes into hiding to avoid prosecution or court appearance.\n(b) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that: (1) The appearance is required by a probation and parole officer as an incident of probation or parole supervision; or (2) The person had a reasonable excuse for failure to appear at the specified time and place.\n(1) The appearance is required by a probation and parole officer as an incident of probation or parole supervision; or\n(2) The person had a reasonable excuse for failure to appear at the specified time and place.\n(c) Nothing in this section shall apply to witnesses.\n(d) Failure to appear is a Class A misdemeanor.\n(e) Any sentence received for a violation of this section must be ordered to be served consecutively to any sentence received for the offense for which the defendant failed to appear.\n(f) [Deleted by 2019 amendment.]","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":"e17d13789d1ebfee9675403182c79f28a73dc793c9af6b6387eaf03cc68376d1","source_id":"us-tn","stale":false,"prev":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-608","next":"us-tn/tenn.-code-ann.-39-16-610"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}