Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 (2026)
Perjury
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) A person commits an offense who, with intent to deceive:
- (1) Makes a false statement, under oath;
- (2) Makes a statement, under oath, that confirms the truth of a false statement previously made and the statement is required or authorized by law to be made under oath;
- (3) Makes a false statement, not under oath, but on an official document required or authorized by law to be made under oath and stating on its face that a false statement is subject to the penalties of perjury; or
- (4) Makes a false statement, not under oath, but in a declaration stating on its face that it is made under penalty of perjury.
- (b)
- (1) Perjury is a Class A misdemeanor.
- (2) Perjury committed on an application for a handgun carry permit under § 39-17-1351 or § 39-17-1366 is a Class E felony. Each application for a handgun carry permit shall clearly state in bold face type directly above the signature line that an applicant who, with intent to deceive, makes any false statement on the application is guilty of the felony offense of perjury.
- (3) Perjury committed on a sexual offender or violent sexual offender TBI registration form under title 40, chapter 39, part 2, is a Class E felony. Each TBI registration form shall clearly state in bold face type directly above the signature line that an applicant who, with the intent to deceive, makes any false statement on the application is guilty of the felony offense of perjury.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 479, s 15, eff. 1/1/2020.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1997 , ch. 468, § 1; 2004, ch. 921, § 2; 2011 , ch. 211, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 40
cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1995–2026 · leading case: State v. Cutshaw, 967 S.W.2d 332 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997).
State v. Cutshaw, 967 S.W.2d 332 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-16-702. 6 . As with the second issue, we are addressing this argument with the assumption that the presentment properly charged the Defendant.”
State v. Forbes, 918 S.W.2d 431 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1995). “B Canady maintains that the evidence was insufficient to support a conviction for aggravated perjury, which is defined in Tennessee Code Annotated section 39-16-703: (a) A person commits an offense who, with intent to deceive: (1) Commits perjury as defined in § 39-16-702; (2)…”
State v. Walker, 307 S.W.3d 260 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2009). “I understand that submission of false information in this affidavit may subject me to prosecution for the criminal offense of perjury pursuant to T.C.A. 39-16-702. In revoking the defendant’s probation, the court stated, “I’m not clear what the State’s position is once the…”
Memphis Planned Parenthood, Inc. v. Donald Sundquist, Governor of the State of Tennessee, & John Knox Walkup, Attorney Gen., 175 F.3d 456 (6th Cir. 1999). “consent to the abortion; (v) A prayer for relief asking the court to enter an order authorizing a physician to perform an abortion upon the applicant without first obtaining parental consent; (vi) An unsworn verification stating that the information therein is true and correct…”
Ho Yim v. William Barr, 972 F.3d 1069 (9th Cir. 2020). “§ 11-33-1; Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 . 20 YIM V. BARR so, see Yim, 610 F.”
Robinson v. Traughber, 13 S.W.3d 361 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999). “§ 39-16-702. The appellant does not explain why he did not bring up the allegedly false testimony until after his petition was dismissed, or why he did not attempt to refute the testimony by urging the panel to examine the record to learn the truth about his offense.”
State of Tennessee v. Christopher C. Sullivan (Tenn. Crim. App. 2021). “The Defendant was convicted of perjury, a Class E felony, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 (b)(3), and the trial court ordered him to serve six years on supervised probation.”
State of Tennessee v. James W. Burton (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017). “As relevant here, a conviction for the offense of perjury merely requires proof that an accused made a false statement, under oath, with intent to deceive.”
State of Tennessee v. Jamal P. Hicks (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). “” T.C.A. § 39-16-702(a)(3). A sex offender registration form may qualify as such an official document.”
State of Tennessee v. Romelus Caraway (Tenn. Crim. App. 2005). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 (a)(1) (2003).”
State of Tennessee v. Evangeline Combs & Joseph D. Combs (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). “” Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 (1997). Consequently, this Court must determine whether the record contains any evidence from which the jury could rationally conclude that Defendant’s statement was not material.”
State of Tennessee v. Melvin E. Beard (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 . The defendant argues that the state failed to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant made a false statement under oath, that the defendant made the statement with the intent to deceive, or that the defendant’s statement was material.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702(a) — 2 cases
State of Tennessee v. Alvin Carroll (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003).
State of Tennessee v. Evangeline Combs & Joseph D. Combs (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). “” Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 (1997). Consequently, this Court must determine whether the record contains any evidence from which the jury could rationally conclude that Defendant’s statement was not material.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702(a)(1) — 4 cases
State of Tennessee v. James W. Burton (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017). “As relevant here, a conviction for the offense of perjury merely requires proof that an accused made a false statement, under oath, with intent to deceive.”
State of Tennessee v. Walter Francis Fitzpatrick, III (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015).
State of Tennessee v. Serena N. Hammond (Tenn. Crim. App. 2025).
State of Tennessee v. Reese L. Smith (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702(a)(3) — 2 cases
State of Tennessee v. Jamal P. Hicks (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). “” T.C.A. § 39-16-702(a)(3). A sex offender registration form may qualify as such an official document.”
State of Tennessee v. Christopher C. Sullivan (Tenn. Crim. App. 2021). “The Defendant was convicted of perjury, a Class E felony, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 (b)(3), and the trial court ordered him to serve six years on supervised probation.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702(a)(l) — 1 case
State v. Cutshaw, 967 S.W.2d 332 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-16-702. 6 . As with the second issue, we are addressing this argument with the assumption that the presentment properly charged the Defendant.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702(b)(3) — 4 cases
State of Tennessee v. Jamal P. Hicks (Tenn. Crim. App. 2018). “” T.C.A. § 39-16-702(a)(3). A sex offender registration form may qualify as such an official document.”
State of Tennessee v. Christopher C. Sullivan (Tenn. Crim. App. 2021). “The Defendant was convicted of perjury, a Class E felony, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-16-702 (b)(3), and the trial court ordered him to serve six years on supervised probation.”
Thorpe v. Tennessee Gen. Assembly (M.D. Tenn. 2024).
State of Tennessee v. Jim George Conaser a.k.a. Jimmy George Conaser (Tenn. Crim. App. 2013).
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