Tennessee § 39-11-502 Ignorance or mistake of fact

Tennessee Statutes

§ 39-11-502 — Ignorance or mistake of fact

Tennessee § 39-11-502

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This text of Tennessee § 39-11-502 (Ignorance or mistake of fact) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-11-502 (2026).

Text

(a)Except in prosecutions for violations of §§ 39-13-504(a)(4) and 39-13-522 , ignorance or mistake of fact is a defense to prosecution if the ignorance or mistake negates the culpable mental state of the charged offense.

(b)Although a person's ignorance or mistake of fact may constitute a defense to the offense charged, the person may be convicted of the offense for which the person would be guilty if the fact were as the person believed.

(c)It is not a defense to prosecution for a violation of § 39-13-309 , § 39-13-514 , or § 39-13-529(a), (b)(1), or (b)(2) that the person charged was ignorant or mistaken as to the age of a minor.

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(a) Except in prosecutions for violations of §§ 39-13-504(a)(4) and 39-13-522 , ignorance or mistake of fact is a defense to prosecution if the ignorance or mistake negates the culpable mental state of the charged offense. (b) Although a person's ignorance or mistake of fact may constitute a defense to the offense charged, the person may be convicted of the offense for which the person would be guilty if the fact were as the person believed. (c) It is not a defense to prosecution for a violation of § 39-13-309 , § 39-13-514 , or § 39-13-529(a), (b)(1), or (b)(2) that the person charged was ignorant or mistaken as to the age of a minor.

Legislative History

Amended by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1115, s 12, eff. 7/1/2022. Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 337, s 1, eff. 7/1/2013. Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 1; 1995, ch. 495, § 1.