Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-107 (2026)
Bribing a witness
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) A person commits an offense who:
- (1) Offers, confers or agrees to confer anything of value upon a witness or a person the defendant believes will be called as a witness in any official proceeding with intent to:
- (A) Corruptly influence the testimony of the witness;
- (B) Induce the witness to avoid or attempt to avoid legal process summoning the witness to testify; or
- (C) Induce the witness to be absent from an official proceeding to which that witness has been legally summoned; or
- (2) Is a witness or believes the person will be called as a witness in any official proceeding and solicits, accepts or agrees to accept anything of value upon an agreement or understanding that:
- (A) The witness's testimony will be corruptly influenced;
- (B) The witness will attempt to avoid legal process summoning the witness to testify; or
- (C) The witness will attempt to be absent from an official proceeding to which the witness has been legally summoned.
- (1) Offers, confers or agrees to confer anything of value upon a witness or a person the defendant believes will be called as a witness in any official proceeding with intent to:
- (b) This section does not apply to the payment of additional compensation to an expert witness over and above the amount otherwise prescribed by law to be paid a witness.
- (c) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to nullify or repeal any contempt power of any judge of any court of this state.
- (d) Bribing a witness is a Class C felony.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6
cases, 1999–2018 · leading case: Dennis J. Hughes v. Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, 259 S.W.3d 631 (Tenn. 2008).
Dennis J. Hughes v. Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, 259 S.W.3d 631 (Tenn. 2008). “In 1997, Hughes was convicted in Davidson County of bribery, a Class C felony, and conspiracy to commit bribery, a Class D felony, in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated sections 39-16-107 (2006) and 39-12-103 (2006).”
State of Tennessee v. Mark Anthony Buntley (Tenn. Crim. App. 2009). “]” Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-107 (a)(1)(C). -6- The defendant argues that Ms.”
State of Tennessee v. Casey Colbert (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). “W2017-01998-CCA-R3-CD ___________________________________ The Defendant-Appellant, Casey Colbert, entered guilty pleas to two counts of bribery of a witness and two counts of coercion of a witness, see T.C.A. §39-16-107(a)(1) and §39- 16-507 (2010).”
State of Tennessee v. James Edward Farrar, Jr. (Tenn. Crim. App. 2008). “OPINION On January 22, 2007, the Bedford County Grand Jury indicted the defendant on one count of bribing a witness, see T.C.A. § 39-16-107 (2006), and one count of conspiracy to bribe a witness, see id.”
State of Tennessee v. Corey Noland (Tenn. Crim. App. 2012). “] Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-107 (a)(1) (2010).”
State v. Michael O. Brown (Tenn. Crim. App. 1999). “Whether the prosecution violated Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-16-107 & 39-16-507 (1991) by bribery and coercion of a State’s witness; III.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-107(a)(1) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Casey Colbert (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). “W2017-01998-CCA-R3-CD ___________________________________ The Defendant-Appellant, Casey Colbert, entered guilty pleas to two counts of bribery of a witness and two counts of coercion of a witness, see T.C.A. §39-16-107(a)(1) and §39- 16-507 (2010).”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-107(a)(1)(C) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. James Edward Farrar, Jr. (Tenn. Crim. App. 2008). “OPINION On January 22, 2007, the Bedford County Grand Jury indicted the defendant on one count of bribing a witness, see T.C.A. § 39-16-107 (2006), and one count of conspiracy to bribe a witness, see id.”
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