Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402 (2024)
Official misconduct
✓ Justia copy: laws through about 2024 (2025 and 2026 sessions missing)
- (a) A public servant commits an offense who, with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another, intentionally or knowingly:
- (1) Commits an act relating to the public servant's office or employment that constitutes an unauthorized exercise of official power;
- (2) Commits an act under color of office or employment that exceeds the public servant's official power;
- (3) Refrains from performing a duty that is imposed by law or that is clearly inherent in the nature of the public servant's office or employment;
- (4) Violates a law relating to the public servant's office or employment; or
- (5) Receives any benefit not otherwise authorized by law.
- (b) For purposes of subdivision (a)(2), a public servant commits an act under color of office or employment who acts or purports to act in an official capacity or takes advantage of the actual or purported capacity.
- (c)
- (1) For purposes of subdivision (a)(5), the ways in which a public servant receives a benefit not otherwise authorized by law include, but are not limited to, a public servant who:
- (A) Purchases real property or otherwise obtains an option to purchase real property with intent to make a profit if the public servant knows that such real property may be purchased by a governmental entity and such information is not public knowledge; or
- (B) Acquires nonpublic information derived from such person's position as a public servant or gained from the performance of such person's official duties as a public servant and knowingly acts on such nonpublic information to acquire, or obtain an option to acquire, or liquidate, tangible or intangible personal property with intent to make a profit.
- (2) Ouster provisions shall be instituted upon a conviction under subsection (a) in which the conduct described in subsection (c) is the basis of the violation. In addition any person convicted of such offense shall forever afterward be disqualified from holding any office under the laws or constitution of this state.
- (1) For purposes of subdivision (a)(5), the ways in which a public servant receives a benefit not otherwise authorized by law include, but are not limited to, a public servant who:
- (d) It is a defense to prosecution for this offense that the benefit involved was a trivial benefit incidental to personal, professional or business contact, and involved no substantial risk of undermining official impartiality.
- (e)
- (1) An offense under subsection (a) in which the conduct described in subsection (c) is not the basis of the violation is a Class E felony.
- (2) An offense under subsection (a) in which the conduct described in subsection (c) is the basis of the violation is a Class A misdemeanor and the court shall order appropriate restitution to the governmental entity harmed by the offense.
- (3) If the defendant's conduct violates this section and other criminal statutes, nothing in this subsection (e) shall be construed as prohibiting prosecution and conviction for theft or any other such applicable offense in addition to or in lieu of prosecution and conviction for a violation of this section.
- (f) Charges for official misconduct may be brought only by indictment, presentment or criminal information; provided, that nothing in this section shall deny a person from pursuing other criminal charges by affidavit of complaint.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1990, ch. 980, § 10; 2012, ch. 966, §§ 1, 2.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 54
cases (11 in the last 5 years), 1990–2026 · leading case: State v. Lane, 3 S.W.3d 456 (Tenn. 1999).
State v. Lane, 3 S.W.3d 456 (Tenn. 1999). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-16-402 (1997). 4 . The fact that this relationship also led to the convictions for official misconduct is irrelevant for purposes of consecutive sentencing.”
State v. Brewer, 945 S.W.2d 803 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). “T.C.A. § 39-16-402. . At first Staggs was confused as to the year in which she served.”
Williams v. City of Burns, 465 S.W.3d 96 (Tenn. 2015). “§ 39-16-402(a)(1), which makes it illegal for a public servant to use his official power in an unauthorized way to obtain a personal benefit or harm another).”
Mid-South Indoor Horse Racing, Inc. v. Tennessee State Racing Comm'n, 798 S.W.2d 531 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1990). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-16-402 (Noncum. Supp.”
Milligan v. United States, 644 F. Supp. 2d 1020 (M.D. Tenn. 2009). “§ 40-7-204 , and engaged in the unauthorized exercise of official power and an unlawful arrest in violation of Tenn.Code Ann. §§ 39-16-402 and -403. (Case No.”
State v. Whitehead, 43 S.W.3d 921 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2000). “§ 12 — 4-101 (personal interest of certain public officials prohibited) and Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-16-402 (official misconduct).”
People v. Feerick, 714 N.E.2d 851 (N.Y. 1999). “415; Tenn Code Ann § 39-16-402; Tex Penal Code Ann § 39.”
State of Tennessee v. Clement Dale Potter, 61 S.W.3d 348 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2001). “The presentment charged the defendant in Count One with violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-16-403, Official Oppression, and in Count Two with violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-16-402, Official Misconduct. 2 .”
State v. McCollum, 904 S.W.2d 114 (Tenn. 1995). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-16-403 (1991). . Tenn.”
Robert Bushnell v. Bedford Cnty., TN, 432 F. App'x 472 (6th Cir. 2011). “That leaves the fourth law, Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402 , which prohibits public servants from knowingly violating a law in connection with their official duties *475 with the “intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another.”
State of Tennessee v. David Gilliam, No. E2009-01079-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. July 6, 2010). “E2009-01079-CCA-R3-CD 1 - Filed July 6, 2010 In this consolidated appeal, the State challenges the trial court’s dismissal of the charges of official misconduct, see T.C.A. § 39-16-402 (2006), and official oppression, see id.”
State of Tennessee v. Terry Butler, No. W2015-00707-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. June 6, 2016). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-16-402(a) defines official misconduct, in relevant part, as follows: A public servant commits [official misconduct] who, with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another, intentionally or knowingly .”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402(a): 4 cases
State of Tennessee v. Terry Butler, No. W2015-00707-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. June 6, 2016). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-16-402(a) defines official misconduct, in relevant part, as follows: A public servant commits [official misconduct] who, with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another, intentionally or knowingly .”
State of Tennessee v. Lawrence Dewayne Stoner, No. W2018-01230-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. July 3, 2019).
Lawrence v. Ryan, No. 2:23-cv-02102 (W.D. Tenn. Mar. 13, 2024).
State of Tennessee v. David Gilliam, No. E2009-01079-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. July 6, 2010). “E2009-01079-CCA-R3-CD 1 - Filed July 6, 2010 In this consolidated appeal, the State challenges the trial court’s dismissal of the charges of official misconduct, see T.C.A. § 39-16-402 (2006), and official oppression, see id.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402(a)(1): 6 cases
Williams v. City of Burns, 465 S.W.3d 96 (Tenn. 2015). “§ 39-16-402(a)(1), which makes it illegal for a public servant to use his official power in an unauthorized way to obtain a personal benefit or harm another).”
State v. Brewer, 945 S.W.2d 803 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). “T.C.A. § 39-16-402. . At first Staggs was confused as to the year in which she served.”
State of Tennessee v. Terry Butler, No. W2015-00707-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. June 6, 2016). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-16-402(a) defines official misconduct, in relevant part, as follows: A public servant commits [official misconduct] who, with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another, intentionally or knowingly .”
State of Tennessee v. Lawrence Dewayne Stoner, No. W2018-01230-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. July 3, 2019).
State of Tennessee v. Danny Lynn Davis, No. E2009-02538-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. Feb. 18, 2011).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402(a)(4): 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Terry Butler, No. W2015-00707-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. June 6, 2016). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-16-402(a) defines official misconduct, in relevant part, as follows: A public servant commits [official misconduct] who, with intent to obtain a benefit or to harm another, intentionally or knowingly .”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402(a)(5): 1 case
VanHooser v. Grundy Cnty. Mun. Unit, No. 4:22-cv-00044 (E.D. Tenn. Apr. 24, 2024).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402(c): 1 case
State v. Brewer, 945 S.W.2d 803 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). “T.C.A. § 39-16-402. . At first Staggs was confused as to the year in which she served.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-402(d): 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Danny Lynn Davis, No. E2009-02538-CCA-R3-CD (Tenn. Crim. App. Feb. 18, 2011).
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