Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-501 (2026)

"Substantial likelihood of serious harm" defined

✓ current as of May 2026

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IF AND ONLY IF

(1)
- (A) a person has threatened or attempted suicide or to inflict serious bodily harm on the person, OR
- (B) the person has threatened or attempted homicide or other violent behavior, OR
- (C) the person has placed others in reasonable fear of violent behavior and serious physical harm to them, OR
- (D) the person is unable to avoid severe impairment or injury from specific risks, AND

(2) there is a substantial likelihood that the harm will occur unless the person is placed under involuntary treatment,
THEN

(3) the person poses a "substantial likelihood of serious harm" for purposes of this title.

Acts 2000, ch. 947, § 1.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 10 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 2003–2025 · leading case: United States v. Christopher Perkins, 67 F.4th 583 (4th Cir. 2023).

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United States v. Christopher Perkins, 67 F.4th 583 (4th Cir. 2023). · cites it 3× “Codified Laws §§ 27A-1-1, 27A-1-2 (West 2022); Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 33-6-501 , 33-6- 502 (West 2022); Tex.”

Barbara T. Collins v. HCA Health Servs. Of Tennessee, Inc., 517 S.W.3d 84 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2016). · cites it 3× “Under Tennessee Code Annotated Section 33-6-401, a prospective detainee may *93 be detained by statutorily authorized persons: IF AND ONLY IF (1) [the prospective detainee] has a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, AND (2) [the prospective detainee] poses an…”

Henderson v. City of Memphis (W.D. Tenn. 2021). · cites it 5× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-501 . Tennessee’s statutory scheme governing warrantless mental health detentions “appears to be at least as stringent as federal law.”

State of Tennessee v. Johntavius Griggs (2025). · cites it 5× “” See Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 33-6-501 ; 55-5-402 (Supp.”

State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Ryan Mallady (Tenn. Crim. App. 2012). · cites it 4× “§ 33-6-501(1). In addition, there must also be a “substantial likelihood that the harm will occur unless the person is placed under involuntary treatment.”

State of Tennessee v. David Cloar (Tenn. Crim. App. 2016). · cites it 2× “” Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-501 . While not pertinent to our review, discharge to mandatory outpatient treatment was discussed at length in the trial court.”

Jessica Abeyta v. HCA Health Servs. of TN, Inc. d/b/a Parthenon Pavillion (Tenn. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 3× “” In addition, Tennessee Code Annotated Section 33-6-403 describes the circumstances under which a patient may be involuntarily committed to treatment: IF AND ONLY IF (1) a person has a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, AND (2) the person poses an immediate…”

State of Tennessee v. Sandra Lynn Baumgartner (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003). · cites it 3× “Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-501 . We review a trial court’s determination that mandatory outpatient treatment is necessary de novo upon the trial court’s record with a presumption of correctness unless the evidence preponderates otherwise.”

In Re William B. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2021). “Section 33-6-401 provides as follows: IF AND ONLY IF (1) a person has a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, AND (2) the person poses an immediate substantial likelihood of serious harm under § 33-6-501 because of the mental illness or serious emotional disturbance,…”

Ceola Johnson, individually & on behalf of Willie Johnson, Jr. v. UHS of Lakeside, LLC (Tenn. Ct. App. 2015). “4 Section 33-6-403 provides: IF AND ONLY IF (1) a person has a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, AND (2) the person poses an immediate substantial likelihood of serious harm, under § 33-6-501, because of the mental illness or serious emotional disturbance, AND (3)…”

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-501(1) — 1 case

State of Tennessee v. Kenneth Ryan Mallady (Tenn. Crim. App. 2012). “§ 33-6-501(1). In addition, there must also be a “substantial likelihood that the harm will occur unless the person is placed under involuntary treatment.”

— Tenn. Code Ann. § 33-6-501(2) — 1 case

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