Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308 (2026)
Harassment
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) A person commits an offense who intentionally:
- (1) Communicates a threat to another person, and the person communicating the threat:
- (A) Intends the communication to be a threat of harm to the victim; and
- (B) A reasonable person would perceive the communication to be a threat of harm;
- (2) Communicates with another person without lawful purpose, anonymously or otherwise, with the intent that the frequency or means of the communication annoys, offends, alarms, or frightens the recipient and, by this action, annoys, offends, alarms, or frightens the recipient;
- (3) Communicates to another person, with intent to harass that person, that a relative or other person has been injured or killed when the communication is known to be false;
- (4) Communicates with another person or transmits or displays an image without legitimate purpose with the intent that the image is viewed by the victim by any method described in subdivision (a)(1) and the person:
- (A) Maliciously intends the communication to be a threat of harm to the victim; and
- (B) A reasonable person would perceive the communication to be a threat of harm; or
- (5) Engages in bullying or cyber-bullying.
- (1) Communicates a threat to another person, and the person communicating the threat:
- (b)
- (1) A person convicted of a criminal offense commits an offense if, while incarcerated, on pretrial diversion, probation, community correction or parole, the person intentionally communicates in person with the victim of the person's crime if the communication is:
- (A) Anonymous or threatening or made in an offensively repetitious manner or at hours known to be inconvenient to the victim;
- (B) Made for no legitimate purpose; and
- (C) Made knowing that it will alarm or annoy the victim.
- (2) If the victim of the person's offense died as the result of the offense, this subsection (b) shall apply to the deceased victim's next-of-kin.
- (1) A person convicted of a criminal offense commits an offense if, while incarcerated, on pretrial diversion, probation, community correction or parole, the person intentionally communicates in person with the victim of the person's crime if the communication is:
- (c)
- (1) Except as provided in subsection (d), a violation of subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor.
- (2) A violation of subsection (b) is a Class E felony.
- (d)
- (1) A violation by a minor of subdivision (a)(4) is a delinquent act and shall be punishable only by up to thirty (30) hours of community service, without compensation, for charitable or governmental agencies as determined by the court.
- (2) A violation by a minor of subdivision (a)(5) is a delinquent act and shall be punished as provided in § 37-1-131.
- (e) As used in this section:
- (1) "Bullying" means an act committed by a student that substantially interferes with another student's educational benefits, opportunities, or performance; and:
- (A) If the act takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided equipment or transportation or at any official school bus stop, the act has the effect of:
- (i) Physically harming the other student or damaging the other student's property; or
- (ii) Knowingly placing the other student or students in reasonable fear of physical harm to the other student or damage to the student's property; or
- (B) If the act takes place off school property or outside of a school-sponsored activity, it is directed specifically at another student or students and has the effect of creating a substantial disruption to the education environment or learning process;
- (A) If the act takes place on school grounds, at any school-sponsored activity, on school-provided equipment or transportation or at any official school bus stop, the act has the effect of:
- (2) "Communicate" means contacting a person in writing or print or by telephone, wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic, photooptical, or electronic means, and includes text messages, facsimile transmissions, electronic mail, instant messages, and messages, images, video, sound recordings, or intelligence of any nature sent through or posted on social networks, social media, or websites;
- (3) "Cyber-bullying" means bullying undertaken through the use of electronic devices;
- (4) "Electronic communications service" means any transfer of signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data, or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photooptical system;
- (5) "Image" includes, but is not limited to, a visual depiction, video clip or photograph of another person;
- (6) "Log files" mean computer-generated lists that contain various types of information regarding the activities of a computer, including, but not limited to, time of access to certain records, processes running on a computer or the usage of certain computer resources; and
- (7) "Official report" means a written report made by a law enforcement officer in the course of the law enforcement officer's official duties that the parent of a minor child who is identified as a victim in the report may obtain from the law enforcement officer's employing law enforcement agency;
- (8) "School" means a public or private school that conducts classes in any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12);
- (9) "Student" means a person, regardless of age, enrolled in a public or private school that conducts classes in any grade from kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12);
- (10) "Social network" means any online community of people who share interests and activities, or who are interested in exploring the interests and activities of others, and which provides ways for users to interact.
- (1) "Bullying" means an act committed by a student that substantially interferes with another student's educational benefits, opportunities, or performance; and:
- (f)
- (1) The offense described in this section shall not apply to an entity providing an electronic communications service to the public acting in the normal course of providing that service.
- (2) The service providers described in this subsection (f) shall not be required to maintain any record not otherwise kept in the ordinary course of that service provider's business; provided, however, that if any electronic communications service provider operates a website that offers a social network service and the electronic communications service provider provides services to consumers in this state, any log files and images or communications that have been sent, posted, or displayed on the social network service's website and maintained by the electronic communications service provider shall be disclosed to any governmental entity responsible for enforcing this section only if the governmental entity:
- (A) Obtains a warrant issued using this state's warrant procedures by a court of competent jurisdiction;
- (B) Obtains a court order for the disclosure under subdivision (f)(4); or
- (C) Has the consent of the person who sent, posted, or displayed any log files and images or communications on the social network service's website maintained by the electronic communications service provider.
- (3) No cause of action shall lie in any court against any provider of an electronic communications service, its officers, employees, agents, or other specified persons for providing information, facilities, or assistance in accordance with the terms of a court order or warrant.
- (4) A court order for disclosure under subdivision (f)(2)(B) may be issued by any court that is a court of competent jurisdiction and shall issue only if the governmental entity offers specific and articulable facts showing that there are reasonable grounds to believe that the contents of an electronic communication, or the records or other information sought, are relevant and material to an ongoing criminal investigation. A court order shall not issue if prohibited by the law of this state. A court issuing an order pursuant to this section, on a motion made promptly by the service provider, may quash or modify the order, if the information or records requested are unusually voluminous in nature or compliance with the order otherwise would cause an undue burden on the provider.
- (g)
- (1) A law enforcement officer who has knowledge that a minor is the victim of an incident of bullying or cyberbullying shall:
- (A) Make an official report of the incident; and
- (B) Provide the minor's parent, legal guardian, or legal custodian with notice of the bullying or cyberbullying and instructions concerning how to obtain a copy of the report made pursuant to subdivision (g)(1)(A).
- (2) This subsection (g) does not apply to incidents reported to the department of safety through the SafeTN application or a successor application.
- (1) A law enforcement officer who has knowledge that a minor is the victim of an incident of bullying or cyberbullying shall:
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 797,s 4, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 797,s 3, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 797,s 2, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 797,s 1, eff. 7/1/2024.
Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 884, Secs.s 2, s 3, s 4, s 5 eff. 7/1/2016.
Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 884, s 1, eff. 7/1/2016.
Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1998, ch. 1035, §§ 1, 2; 2001, ch. 26, § 1; 2008 , ch. 973, § 1; 2009 , ch. 347, § 1; 2011 , ch. 362, §§ 1-4; 2012 , ch. 992, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 39
cases (11 in the last 5 years), 1994–2026 · leading case: State v. Lakatos, 900 S.W.2d 699 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1994).
State v. Lakatos, 900 S.W.2d 699 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1994). “Appellant Rob Lakatos was charged under T.C.A. § 39-17-308(a)(2) with twenty-nine (29) counts of making harassing telephone calls.”
Washington v. Robertson Cnty., 29 S.W.3d 466 (Tenn. 2000). “§ 4-21-701 no longer refers to a specific criminal statute, malicious harassment should be defined by Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308 , which is cross-referenced after § -701 and proscribes harassment by telephone or in writing.”
State v. Smith, 891 S.W.2d 922 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1994). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-17-308(a)(2) (1991). 24 .”
Young v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins., 868 F. Supp. 937 (W.D. Tenn. 1994). “Defendant argues that Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-17-308, a criminal section making it illegal to threaten persons over the telephone, provides the basis for the civil cause of action for malicious harassment because that section is entitled “Harassment.”
State v. Hoxie, 963 S.W.2d 737 (Tenn. 1998). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-17-315 (1994 Supp.). 2 .”
United States v. Clifford Houston, 683 F. App'x 434 (6th Cir. 2017). “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308 (criminalizing knowing threats made over the telephone).”
State v. Gieck, 29 S.W.3d 57 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1999). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-17-308 (1997 Repl.). Id.”
Kendra C. Smith v. Thistle Farms, et al. (M.D. Tenn. 2026). “Smith, brought against the Individual Defendants be dismissed; (2) the Clerk administratively terminate the Individual Defendants as defendants in this action; (3) Plaintiff’s claims against Defendant Thistle Farms brought pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 39-17-308 (for…”
Hall v. City of Knoxville, Tennessee (E.D. Tenn. 2022). “Background2 Plaintiff’s claims arise from his arrest for harassment in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-308. Plaintiff engaged in a relationship with a woman for less than one month [Doc.”
Reid v. Pressley (E.D. Tenn. 2019). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308 (c). Courts have held, however, that Tennessee’s harassment statute does not create a private cause of action because it is a criminal statue and, as such, defines crimes and defenses.”
Ragland, II v. F & M Koz, Inc (W.D. Tenn. 2022). “23, 2018) (“Regarding Plaintiff's claim under Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308 , the statute does not create a private cause of action.”
State of Tennessee v. Michael Wiss (Tenn. Crim. App. 2014). “On November 10, 2011, an indictment was returned charging Appellant with unlawfully and intentionally communicating in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-17-308 for the incidents on or about June 25, 2011 through July 1, 2011.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308(1): 1 case
State of Tennessee v. James Walter Grooms (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308(2): 2 cases
Kendra C. Smith v. Thistle Farms, et al. (M.D. Tenn. 2026).
State of Tennessee v. James Walter Grooms (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308(a): 4 cases
Washington v. Robertson Cnty., 29 S.W.3d 466 (Tenn. 2000). “§ 4-21-701 no longer refers to a specific criminal statute, malicious harassment should be defined by Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308 , which is cross-referenced after § -701 and proscribes harassment by telephone or in writing.”
Hall v. City of Knoxville, Tennessee (E.D. Tenn. 2022). “Background2 Plaintiff’s claims arise from his arrest for harassment in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-17-308. Plaintiff engaged in a relationship with a woman for less than one month [Doc.”
State of Tennessee v. Allison L. Brewington (Tenn. Crim. App. 2004).
State of Tennessee v. Michael Sammie Brown (Tenn. Crim. App. 2003).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308(a)(1): 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Michael Wiss (Tenn. Crim. App. 2014). “On November 10, 2011, an indictment was returned charging Appellant with unlawfully and intentionally communicating in violation of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-17-308 for the incidents on or about June 25, 2011 through July 1, 2011.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308(a)(1)(A): 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Andre Davis, Jr. (Tenn. Crim. App. 2024).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-17-308(a)(2): 4 cases
State v. Lakatos, 900 S.W.2d 699 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1994). “Appellant Rob Lakatos was charged under T.C.A. § 39-17-308(a)(2) with twenty-nine (29) counts of making harassing telephone calls.”
State v. Smith, 891 S.W.2d 922 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1994). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 39-17-308(a)(2) (1991). 24 .”
State of Tennessee v. Delmar K. Reed, a.k.a. Delma K. Reed (Tenn. Crim. App. 2008).
State of Tennessee v. Ibrahim Talafhah (Tenn. Crim. App. 2014).
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