Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (2026)
Restraining orders or injunctions - Penalty for violation
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a)
- (1) Whenever the attorney general has reason to believe that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or, based upon information received from another law enforcement agency, is about to engage in any act or practice declared unlawful by this part and that proceedings would be in the public interest, the attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state against such person to restrain by temporary restraining order, temporary injunction, or permanent injunction the use of such act or practice.
- (2) Unless the attorney general determines in writing that the purposes of this part will be substantially impaired by delay in instituting legal proceedings, the attorney general shall, at least ten (10) days before instituting legal proceedings as provided for in this section, give notice to the person against whom proceedings are contemplated and give such person an opportunity to present reasons why such proceedings should not be instituted.
- (3) As part of any action brought pursuant to subdivision (a)(1), the attorney general shall certify that the division of consumer affairs complied with § 47-18-5002(2) unless the attorney general determines that the purposes of this part will be substantially impaired by delaying legal proceedings.
- (4) The action may be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction in the county where the alleged unfair or deceptive act or practice took place or is about to take place or in the county in which such person resides, has such person's principal place of business, conducts, transacts, or has transacted business or, if the person cannot be found in any of the foregoing locations, in the county in which such person can be found.
- (5) The courts are authorized to issue orders and injunctions to restrain and prevent violations of this part, and such orders and injunctions shall be issued without bond.
- (6) Whenever any permanent injunction is issued by a court in connection with any action which has become final, reasonable costs shall be awarded to the state.
- (b)
- (1) The court may make such orders or render such judgments as may be necessary to restore to any person who has suffered any ascertainable loss by reason of the use or employment of such unlawful method, act, or practice, any money or property, real, personal, or mixed, or any other article, commodity, or thing of value wherever situated, which may have been acquired by means of any act or practice declared to be unlawful by this part.
- (2) The court may also enter an order temporarily or permanently revoking a license or certificate authorizing that person to engage in business in this state, if evidence has been presented to the court establishing knowing and persistent violations of this part.
- (3) The court may also order payment to this state of a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) for each violation. In determining the amount of a civil penalty, the court may consider the defendant's participation in the complaint resolution process described in § 47-18-5002(2), and the defendant's restitution efforts prior to the initiation of an action pursuant to subdivision (a)(1), in addition to any other factors, including, but not limited to:
- (A) The good or bad faith of the violator as it relates to the violations;
- (B) The injury to the public;
- (C) The violator's ability to pay;
- (D) The public's interest in eliminating the benefits derived by the violator from the violations; and
- (E) This state's interest in vindicating the authority of this state and deterring future violations.
- (4) The court may also order reimbursement to the state for the reasonable costs and expenses of investigation and prosecution of actions under this part, including attorneys' fees.
- (5) In the course of any action brought pursuant to subdivision (a)(1), the court may order the parties to engage in pre-trial mediation. If a party requests the court to order the parties to mediation, then the requesting party bears the costs associated with the mediation, unless both parties agree to bear the costs.
- (c) Any knowing violation of the terms of an injunction or order issued pursuant to subsection (a) or (b) shall be punishable by a civil penalty of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000), recoverable by the state for each violation, in addition to any other appropriate relief.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 776,s 13, eff. 4/23/2024.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 459, Secs.s 8, s 9, s 10 eff. 9/30/2019.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 459, s 7, eff. 9/30/2019.
Acts 1977, ch. 438, § 9; 1991, ch. 468, §§ 1, 2.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 18
cases (6 in the last 5 years), 1982–2025 · leading case: Discover Bank v. Morgan, 363 S.W.3d 479 (Tenn. 2012).
Discover Bank v. Morgan, 363 S.W.3d 479 (Tenn. 2012). “at *7 (quoting Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108(b)(1)). The Court of Appeals ruled that the fees consumers paid were the appropriate measure of damages — not the charges they made on their cards: "We see no basis for including the credit card debts that consumers voluntarily incurred…”
Walker v. Sunrise Pontiac-GMC Truck, Inc., 249 S.W.3d 301 (Tenn. 2008). “§ 47-18-108. In such actions, the remedy is not limited to injunctive relief, but rather the court may award restitution on behalf on those consumers who have suffered an ascertainable loss.”
Pyburn v. Bill Heard Chevrolet, 63 S.W.3d 351 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001). “T.C.A. § 47-18-108 further gives the Attorney General the power to seek injunctive relief in a court of competent jurisdiction whenever the Division of Consumer Affairs “has reason to believe that any person has engaged in, is engaging in, or, based upon information received…”
State v. Thompson, 197 S.W.3d 685 (Tenn. 2006). “The complaint sought civil penalties “of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation to the State as provided by Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108(b)” against each of the defendants.”
Crossley Constr. Corp. v. Nat'l Fire Ins. Co. of Hartford, 237 S.W.3d 652 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2007). “” Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108(11) (2001). Defendant’s actions that Plaintiff complains about in its Amended Complaint relative to its Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977 claim were not connected with “the advertising, offering for sale, lease or rental, or distribution .”
California v. Infineon Tech. AG, 531 F. Supp. 2d 1124 (N.D. Cal. 2007). “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108(a-b). Finally, while it is true that other statutory provisions empower the Attorney General to generally institute all actions necessary to enforce the laws, including actions on behalf of the state and its agencies to recover “public funds,” this…”
State of Tennessee Ex Rel. Herbert H. Slatery, III, Attorney Gen. & Reporter v. HRC Med. Centers, Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2019). “That pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (a)(1), (a)(4), and (a)(5), this Court temporarily and permanently enjoin and restrain TCPA Defendants from engaging in the aforementioned acts or practices which violate the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977.”
Honeycutt v. First Fed. Bank, 278 F. Supp. 2d 893 (W.D. Tenn. 2003). “Defendant also argues that Plaintiff is not a “consumer” within the meaning of Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (2). Plaintiff contends that the mortgage loan pre-approval letter clearly misrepresented that Ms.”
Memphis Publ'g Co. v. Leech, 539 F. Supp. 405 (W.D. Tenn. 1982). “Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108; Stipulations at ¶ 7.”
State v. Travis Thompson (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (b)(1) (2001) (emphasis added).”
State of Tennessee, Ex Rel. Herbert Slatery III v. The Witherspoon Law Grp. PLLC (Tenn. Ct. App. 2022). “The particular statute related to actions brought by the attorney general provides that “[t]he court may . . . order reimbursement to the state for the reasonable costs and expenses of investigation and prosecution of actions under this part, including attorneys’ fees.”
State of Tennessee v. Jonathon Trotter (2019). “Therefore, pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 47-18-108 (b)(3) and 23-3-103(c)(1), the Court hereby assesses a civil penalty of $7,300 against Defendant and payable to Plaintiff based on 73 violations of the TCPA and UPL Statute.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108(11): 1 case
Crossley Constr. Corp. v. Nat'l Fire Ins. Co. of Hartford, 237 S.W.3d 652 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2007). “” Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108(11) (2001). Defendant’s actions that Plaintiff complains about in its Amended Complaint relative to its Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977 claim were not connected with “the advertising, offering for sale, lease or rental, or distribution .”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108(a)(1): 2 cases
State of Tennessee Ex Rel. Herbert H. Slatery, III, Attorney Gen. & Reporter v. HRC Med. Centers, Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2019). “That pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (a)(1), (a)(4), and (a)(5), this Court temporarily and permanently enjoin and restrain TCPA Defendants from engaging in the aforementioned acts or practices which violate the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977.”
Paula H. Chaffin, Manny Formigo, & Brenda Thurman v. Norwegian Cruise Line Ltd, A/K/A Norwegian Cruise Lines, Inc., A/K/A Norwegian Cruise Lines (Tenn. Ct. App. 1999).
Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108(a)(2): 1 case
State of Tennessee Ex Rel. Herbert H. Slatery, III, Attorney Gen. & Reporter v. HRC Med. Centers, Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2019). “That pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (a)(1), (a)(4), and (a)(5), this Court temporarily and permanently enjoin and restrain TCPA Defendants from engaging in the aforementioned acts or practices which violate the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108(b): 2 cases
State v. Thompson, 197 S.W.3d 685 (Tenn. 2006). “The complaint sought civil penalties “of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) per violation to the State as provided by Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108(b)” against each of the defendants.”
State v. Travis Thompson (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (b)(1) (2001) (emphasis added).”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108(b)(1): 3 cases
Discover Bank v. Morgan, 363 S.W.3d 479 (Tenn. 2012). “at *7 (quoting Tenn.Code Ann. § 47-18-108(b)(1)). The Court of Appeals ruled that the fees consumers paid were the appropriate measure of damages — not the charges they made on their cards: "We see no basis for including the credit card debts that consumers voluntarily incurred…”
State v. Travis Thompson (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (b)(1) (2001) (emphasis added).”
State of Tennessee Ex Rel. Herbert H. Slatery, III, Attorney Gen. & Reporter v. HRC Med. Centers, Inc. (Tenn. Ct. App. 2019). “That pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108 (a)(1), (a)(4), and (a)(5), this Court temporarily and permanently enjoin and restrain TCPA Defendants from engaging in the aforementioned acts or practices which violate the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-18-108(b)(l): 1 case
Walker v. Sunrise Pontiac-GMC Truck, Inc., 249 S.W.3d 301 (Tenn. 2008). “§ 47-18-108. In such actions, the remedy is not limited to injunctive relief, but rather the court may award restitution on behalf on those consumers who have suffered an ascertainable loss.”
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