Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2026)

Grounds for relief

✓ current as of May 2026
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Relief under this part shall be granted when the conviction or sentence is void or voidable because of the abridgment of any right guaranteed by the Constitution of Tennessee or the Constitution of the United States.

Acts 1995, ch. 207, § 1; T.C.A. § 40-30-203.


Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2,007 cases (378 in the last 5 years), 1985–2026 · leading case: Burford v. State, 845 S.W.2d 204 (Tenn. 1992).
Burford v. State, 845 S.W.2d 204 (Tenn. 1992). · cites it 8× “Under the Act, a prisoner may file a petition for post-conviction relief with the clerk of the court where the conviction occurred, Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (1990), and "[r]elief shall be granted when the conviction or sentence is void or voidable because of the abridgement…”
Terrance N. CARTER v. Rickey BELL, 279 S.W.3d 560 (Tenn. 2009). · cites it 7× “1 Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2003); see, e.”
Clark D. Frazier v. State of Tennessee, 495 S.W.3d 246 (Tenn. 2016). · cites it 4× “32(f), and a claim for post-conviction relief, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2012). In light of these significant and comprehensive procedural mechanisms already in place to safeguard the guilty plea process, we disagree that we ―trivialize‖ the guilty plea proceeding by…”
Cauthern v. State, 145 S.W.3d 571 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2004). · cites it 4× “Tenn.Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2003). The petitioner bears the burden of proving factual allegations in the petition for post-conviction relief by clear and convincing evidence.”
Cooper v. State, 847 S.W.2d 521 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1992). · cites it 4× “the appellate judges who reviewed such conviction, if ... available." This case was appealed directly to the Supreme Court pursuant to then existing law.”
Artis Whitehead v. State of Tennessee, 402 S.W.3d 615 (Tenn. 2013). · cites it 4× “3 Currently, Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103 directs Tennessee’s courts to grant prisoners post-conviction relief when their “conviction or sentence is void or voidable because of the abridgement of any right guaranteed by the Constitution of Tennessee or the Constitution of the…”
Howell v. State, 151 S.W.3d 450 (Tenn. 2004). · cites it 4× “" Tenn.Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2003). In order for a hearing to be granted, the petition must assert a "colorable claim.”
Stephen Bernard Wlodarz v. State of Tennessee, 361 S.W.3d 490 (Tenn. 2012). · cites it 4× “Section 40-30-103 explains that “[r]elief under this part shall be granted when the conviction or sentence is void or voidable because of the abridgment of any right guaranteed -14- by the Constitution of Tennessee or the Constitution of the United States.”
Summers v. State, 212 S.W.3d 251 (Tenn. 2007). · cites it 2× “Tenn.Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2006). The habeas corpus procedures are mandatory and strictly applied.”
Cooper v. State, 849 S.W.2d 744 (Tenn. 1993). · cites it 4× “The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the trial court’s finding of ineffective assistance of counsel at the sentencing hearing, but transferred the case relative to the issue of effective assistance of counsel on direct appeal to this Court pursuant to Tenn.Code Ann. §…”
Vaughn v. State, 202 S.W.3d 106 (Tenn. 2006). · cites it 2× “Tenn.Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2003); Howell v.”
Hickman v. State, 153 S.W.3d 16 (Tenn. 2004). · cites it 2× “Tenn.Code Ann. § 40-30-103 (2003); Taylor, 995 S.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103(a) — 6 cases
Oliphant v. State, 806 S.W.2d 215 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1991).
State v. McClintock, 732 S.W.2d 268 (Tenn. 1987).
Rhoden v. State, 816 S.W.2d 56 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1991).
Laney v. State, 826 S.W.2d 117 (Tenn. 1992).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103(a)(1) — 1 case
Dicks v. State (Tenn. Crim. App. 1998).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103(b) — 6 cases
State v. Masucci, 754 S.W.2d 90 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1988).
Steadman v. State, 806 S.W.2d 780 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1990).
Oliphant v. State, 806 S.W.2d 215 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1991).
William B. Gatlin v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017).
Wilson v. State (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103(b)(1) — 3 cases
Cooper v. State, 847 S.W.2d 521 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1992). “the appellate judges who reviewed such conviction, if ... available." This case was appealed directly to the Supreme Court pursuant to then existing law.”
Laney v. State, 826 S.W.2d 117 (Tenn. 1992).
Steadman v. State, 806 S.W.2d 780 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1990).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103(b)(2) — 2 cases
Steadman v. State, 806 S.W.2d 780 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1990).
William B. Gatlin v. State of Tennessee (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103(b)(l) — 4 cases
Cooper v. State, 849 S.W.2d 744 (Tenn. 1993). “The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the trial court’s finding of ineffective assistance of counsel at the sentencing hearing, but transferred the case relative to the issue of effective assistance of counsel on direct appeal to this Court pursuant to Tenn.Code Ann. §…”
Cooper v. State, 847 S.W.2d 521 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1992). “the appellate judges who reviewed such conviction, if ... available." This case was appealed directly to the Supreme Court pursuant to then existing law.”
Thompson v. State, 958 S.W.2d 156 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1997).
State v. Clark, 774 S.W.2d 634 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1989).
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-30-103(f) — 1 case
State of Tennessee v. Seddrick Curry (Tenn. Crim. App. 2022).
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