Tennessee Penalties Toughest In U.S.

Criminal penalties for many crimes are going to increase substantially in Tennessee as of July 1, 2022. Certain crimes committed on and after that date in Tennessee will carry some of the toughest penalties in the United States due to Public Chapter 988 and the new “Truth in Sentencing” law, amending T.C.A. 40-35-501. Those committing the crimes of:

Attempted first degree murder;
Second degree murder,
Vehicular homicide,
Aggravated vehicular homicide,
Especially aggravated kidnapping,
Especially aggravated robbery,
Carjacking, and
Especially aggravated burglary

will require the defendant to serve a mandatory 100% sentence in custody.

About the Author: Steven Oberman has been licensed in Tennessee since 1980, and successfully defended thousands of those accused of violating the law. Although a certified specialist in DUI Defense Law, Steve has represented clients charged with everything from murder to speeding tickets in Tennessee courts. He has also represented clients charged with white collar crimes, drug offenses and tax fraud in federal court. He is an accomplished author of two books and many articles published in national legal and scientific journals. Steve has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee Law School since 1993 and has received a number of prestigious awards for his faculty contributions. He is a popular international speaker, having spoken at legal seminars in 30 states, the District of Columbia and six foreign countries. After being named a Fulbright Scholar, Steve was honored to teach as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Latvia Law School in the capital city of Riga, Latvia during the Spring Semester of 2019. Learn more about Steve’s accomplishments here.