Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112 (2026)
Extortion
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) A person commits extortion who uses coercion upon another person with the intent to:
- (1) Obtain property, services, any advantage or immunity;
- (2) Restrict unlawfully another's freedom of action; or
- (3)
- (A) Impair any entity, from the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured by the Constitution of Tennessee, the United States Constitution or the laws of the state, in an effort to obtain something of value for any entity;
- (B) For purposes of this section, "something of value" includes, but is not limited to, a neutrality agreement, card check agreement, recognition, or other objective of a corporate campaign;
- (C) For purposes of this section, "corporate campaign" means any organized effort to unlawfully bring pressure on an entity, other than through collective bargaining, or any other activity protected by federal law.
- (b) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution for extortion that the person reasonably claimed:
- (1) Appropriate restitution or appropriate indemnification for harm done; or
- (2) Appropriate compensation for property or lawful services.
- (c) Extortion is a Class D felony.
Amended by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 982,s 2, eff. 7/1/2014.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 18
cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1995–2026 · leading case: State v. Parris, 236 S.W.3d 173 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2007).
State v. Parris, 236 S.W.3d 173 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2007). “” T.C.A. § 39-14-112 (2006). The Sentencing Commission Comments provide the following additional guidance: “Because the harm is the use of coercion for the above purposes, the offense is committed even though the offender’s efforts are unsuccessful and, for example, do not…”
Tri-Cities Holdings LLC v. Tennessee Admin. Procedures Div., 260 F. Supp. 3d 913 (E.D. Tenn. 2017). “4 of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct, as well as Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112 . 6. Mr. Dunlap has expressed contempt for this tribunal and these administrative proceedings, thus, there is no appar *929 ent purpose for his continued participation.”
Lunan v. Jones (In re Lunan), 489 B.R. 711 (Bankr. E.D. Tenn. 2012). “1987 Mercedes, 1968 Cá-maro, and certain jewelry purchased for the Debtor, in violation of the same state law criminal statutes; (5) confiscated and converted in violation of state law personal property belonging to the Plaintiffs two adult children that was located at the…”
State v. McCollum, 904 S.W.2d 114 (Tenn. 1995). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-14-112 (1991). . Tenn.”
McNeil v. Cmty. Prob. Servs., LLC (M.D. Tenn. 2021). “§ 1951 ; (2) extortion under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-14-112; and (3) extortion under the Travel Act, 18 U.”
State v. James Conrad (Tenn. Crim. App. 2000). “Our Code provides that: “Coercion” means a threat, however communicated, to: (A) Commit any offense; (B) Wrongfully accuse any person of any offense; (C) Expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; (D) Harm the credit or business repute of any person; or (E) Take or…”
Tri-Cities Holdings, LLC v. Tennessee Health Servs. & Dev. Agency (Tenn. Ct. App. 2016). “4 (“Misconduct”) and Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112 , “Extortion.”
State of Tennessee v. Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015). “See T.C.A. § 39-14-112(a), Sentencing Comm‟n Cmts.”
Afsoon Vafaie (formerly) Jane Doe v. Walter R. Owens, III & wife, Cheryl Roberts Owens (Tenn. Ct. App. 1996). “Under Tennessee Rule of Evidence 408, 3 In her Second Amended Complaint, Plaintiff alleges a violation of Tennessee’s criminal extortion law, T.C.A. § 39-14-112, as the underlying “unlawful” act of Defendants’ civil conspiracy.”
Just. v. Nelson (E.D. Tenn. 2021). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112 (a). “Coercion,” as used in the statute, is defined as a “threat, however communicated, to (A) commit any offense, (B) wrongfully accuse any person of any offense, (C) expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule, (D) harm the credit or business…”
Just. v. Nelson (E.D. Tenn. 2021). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112 (a). “Coercion,” as used in the statute, is defined as a “threat, however communicated, to (A) commit any offense, (B) wrongfully accuse any person of any offense, (C) expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule, (D) harm the credit or business…”
Montgomery v. Hall (M.D. Tenn. 2020). “8 See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112 (defining extortion as a Class D felony).”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112(a) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015). “See T.C.A. § 39-14-112(a), Sentencing Comm‟n Cmts.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112(a)(1) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Leigh Katherine Littleton (Tenn. Crim. App. 2025).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112(b) — 2 cases
State v. Parris, 236 S.W.3d 173 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2007). “” T.C.A. § 39-14-112 (2006). The Sentencing Commission Comments provide the following additional guidance: “Because the harm is the use of coercion for the above purposes, the offense is committed even though the offender’s efforts are unsuccessful and, for example, do not…”
State v. James Conrad (Tenn. Crim. App. 2000). “Our Code provides that: “Coercion” means a threat, however communicated, to: (A) Commit any offense; (B) Wrongfully accuse any person of any offense; (C) Expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; (D) Harm the credit or business repute of any person; or (E) Take or…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112(c) — 1 case
State v. James Conrad (Tenn. Crim. App. 2000). “Our Code provides that: “Coercion” means a threat, however communicated, to: (A) Commit any offense; (B) Wrongfully accuse any person of any offense; (C) Expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; (D) Harm the credit or business repute of any person; or (E) Take or…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-14-112(c)(2) — 1 case
State v. James Conrad (Tenn. Crim. App. 2000). “Our Code provides that: “Coercion” means a threat, however communicated, to: (A) Commit any offense; (B) Wrongfully accuse any person of any offense; (C) Expose any person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; (D) Harm the credit or business repute of any person; or (E) Take or…”
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