2019 Tennessee Code
Title 39 - Criminal Offenses
Chapter 11 - General Provisions
Part 5 - General Defenses
§ 39-11-502. Ignorance or mistake of fact.

Universal Citation: TN Code § 39-11-502 (2019)
  • (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 shall not be a defense to prosecution for a violation of § 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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