Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101 (2026)
Nonsupport and flagrant nonsupport
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) A person commits the crime of nonsupport who fails to provide support which that person is able to provide and knows the person has a duty to provide to a minor child or to a child or spouse who, because of physical or mental disability, is unable to be self-supporting.
- (b) "Child" includes legitimate children and children whose parentage has been admitted by the person charged or established by judicial action.
- (c) "Support" includes, but is not limited to, financial assistance, food, shelter, clothing, medical attention or, if determined elsewhere by law, other necessary care.
- (d) A person commits the offense of flagrant nonsupport who:
- (1) Leaves or remains without the state to avoid a legal duty of support; or
- (2) Having been convicted one (1) or more times of nonsupport or flagrant nonsupport, is convicted of a subsequent offense under this section.
- (e)
- (1) Nonsupport under subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor.
- (2) Flagrant nonsupport under subsection (d) is a Class E felony.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 12
cases, 1993–2011 · leading case: State v. Sliger, 846 S.W.2d 262 (Tenn. 1993).
State v. Sliger, 846 S.W.2d 262 (Tenn. 1993). “§ 39-15-101 — provides in pertinent part that: (a) A person commits the crime of nonsupport who fails to provide support which that person is able to provide and knows he has a duty to provide to a minor child or to a child or spouse who, because of physical or mental…”
State of Tennessee v. Perry Avram March, 395 S.W.3d 738 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2011). “Sliger, our supreme court addressed a right to travel challenge to Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-15-101 which provides in pertinent part: (a) a person commits the crime of nonsupport who fails to provide support which that person is able to provide and knows he has a duty…”
Terrence Johnson v. Phil Bredesen, 624 F.3d 742 (6th Cir. 2010). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101 (a) (“A person commits the crime of nonsupport .”
State v. Wyche, 914 S.W.2d 558 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-15-101. . The Tennessee indictment charged nonpayment through September 24, 1992.”
State of Tennessee v. Paul Charles Carnahan (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101 . Importantly, in order to maintain a conviction for flagrant non- support, the State must prove that the Defendant either left the state to avoid his legal duty of support or remained out of the state to avoid this legal duty.”
State of Tennessee v. Randall Gene Reynolds a.k.a Randy Reynolds (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010). “98-CR-7854 on March 22, 1999, in violation of T.C.A §39-15-101, a Class E felony, and against the peace and dignity of the State of Tennessee.”
State of Tennessee v. Michael Lewis (Tenn. Crim. App. 2011). “See, Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101 (providing that nonsupport of a minor child is a crime).”
State of Tennessee v. Robert Charles Skinner (Tenn. Crim. App. 2007). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101 . As a result, he received a probated sentence of 11 months and 29 days with 30 days to be served in confinement.”
State., ex. rel. Peggy Richardson v. Richardson (Tenn. Ct. App. 1998). “The Father also contends that the trial court erred in using the general contempt statutes of sections 29-9-102 and 29-9-103 of the Tennessee Code to impose contempt -7- sanctions when there exist specific statutes for the purpose of punishing a failure to pay child support such…”
State v. Stephen Freeman (Tenn. Crim. App. 1999). “§ 39-15 - 101(d)(1). The record reflects undisputed testimony that the appellant left the State of Tennessee for Florida with the intent to avoid his child support payments.”
Terrence Johnson v. Phil Bredesen (6th Cir. 2010). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101 (a) (“A person commits the crime of nonsupport .”
State of Tennessee v. Kathryn Lee Adler (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). “CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT STATUTES The defendant asserts Tennessee Code Annotated sections 39-15-101 and 102 are unconstitutionally vague and overbroad because the words “injury,” “neglect,” and “welfare” are not defined.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101(a) — 1 case
State v. Wyche, 914 S.W.2d 558 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-15-101. . The Tennessee indictment charged nonpayment through September 24, 1992.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-15-101(d)(1) — 1 case
State v. Sliger, 846 S.W.2d 262 (Tenn. 1993). “§ 39-15-101 — provides in pertinent part that: (a) A person commits the crime of nonsupport who fails to provide support which that person is able to provide and knows he has a duty to provide to a minor child or to a child or spouse who, because of physical or mental…”
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