Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-401 (2026)
Emergency detention
✓ current as of May 2026
IF AND ONLY IF:
- (1) A person has a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, AND
- (2) The person poses an imminent substantial likelihood of serious harm under § 33-6-501 because of the mental illness or serious emotional disturbance,
THEN
- (3) The person may be detained under § 33-6-402 to obtain examination for certification of need for care and treatment.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 725,s 1, eff. 4/16/2024.
Acts 2000, ch. 947, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12
cases (6 in the last 5 years), 2002–2026 · leading case: Dorothy King v. Virginia Betts, 354 S.W.3d 691 (Tenn. 2011).
Dorothy King v. Virginia Betts, 354 S.W.3d 691 (Tenn. 2011). “They continued to prepare and dispense all required medications during their respective shifts, but they were 1 See Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 33-6-401 and 33-6-501 (2007).”
Barbara T. Collins v. HCA Health Servs. Of Tennessee, Inc., 517 S.W.3d 84 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2016). “March 1, 2001 (codified in Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 33-6-401 et seq.). The statutory guidelines for emergency involuntary admission to inpatient treatment are provided in Tennessee Code Annotated Section 33-6-401 et seq.”
State v. Simmons, 108 S.W.3d 881 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). “§§ 33-6-401 — 33-6-510. After hearing this testimony, the juvenile court found that it would “not find [voluntary commitment] as being a commitment contemplated by [Tennessee Code Annotated section 37-1-134(a)(4)(B) ]”.”
In Re William B. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2021). “In addition to disputing the grounds for termination and best interest, Mother argues on appeal that she should have been appointed counsel in the termination proceeding and that the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services violated Tennessee Code Annotated section 33-6-401.…”
State of Tennessee v. Royce Scott Earley (Tenn. Crim. App. 2025). “The State argued the recording was relevant to the Defendant’s assertion that under Tennessee Code Annotated section 33-6-401 law enforcement had a statutory duty to take him to a psychiatric evaluation before the interview because he was suicidal.”
Riggs (W.D. Tenn. 2026). “Riggs under Tennessee’s emergency detention statute, Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-401 (2022). (See ECF No.”
State of Tennessee v. Larry D. Simmons & Tyce Renard Jackson (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). “Tenn. Code Ann. §§33-6-401 - 33-6-510. After hearing this testimony, the juvenile court found that it would “not find [voluntary commitment] as being a commitment contemplated by [Tennessee Code Annotated section 37-1-134(a)(4)(B)]”.”
Jessica Abeyta v. HCA Health Servs. of TN, Inc. d/b/a Parthenon Pavillion (Tenn. Ct. App. 2012). “Abeyta claims that Parthenon, or its employees, committed negligence per se in violating the statutory guidelines for emergency involuntary admission to inpatient treatment, Tennessee Code Annotated Section 33-6-401 et seq. This Court has explained the doctrine of negligence per…”
Henderson v. City of Memphis (W.D. Tenn. 2021). “§ 33-6-401 , which permits a mental health seizure or arrest if the “person has a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance” and “the person poses an immediate substantial likelihood of serious harm under § 33-6-501 because of the mental illness or serious emotional…”
Webb v. Middle Tennessee Mental Health Inst. (M.D. Tenn. 2025). “5 Tennessee’s involuntary commitment law, Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-401 et seq., creates the process to detain a person for involuntary commitment to mental health treatment.”
Hargis v. Overton Cnty., Tennessee (M.D. Tenn. 2023). “§ 33-6-401 (6-401 form) to the hospital. (Id.”
Pamela D. Vickroy v. Pathways, Inc., Dyersburg, TN, Kimberly Bord, J. Forstlam, M.D. Methodist Hosp., Coleman Foss, Adm'r, & W. Mental Health Inst. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “th professional under § 33-1-101; (2) Is licensed or certified to practice in the state if required for the discipline; and (3) Satisfactorily completes a training program approved and provided by the department on emergency commitment criteria and procedures; the commissioner…”
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Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.