2020 Tennessee Code
Title 20 - Civil Procedure
Chapter 5 - Abatement and Survival of Actions
§ 20-5-101. No Abatement Where Cause Survives

Actions do not abate by the death or other disability of either party, or by the transfer of any interest in the action, if the cause of action survives or continues.

Code 1858, § 2845 (deriv. Acts 1785, ch. 2, § 2; 1786, ch. 14, § 1; 1819, ch. 16, §§ 1, 3; 1835-1836, ch. 77, § 1); Shan., § 4568; mod. Code 1932, § 8693; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 20-601.

Cross-References. Costs on abatement, §§20-12-110,20-12-113.

Death of party during continuance, §20-7-105.

Motion for judgment against officer, §25-3-106.

Revival of judgments, title 25, ch. 4.

Substitution of parties, Tenn. R. Civ. P. 25.

Textbooks. Gibson's Suits in Chancery (7th ed., Inman), § 319.

Pritchard on Wills and Administration of Estates (4th ed., Phillips and Robinson), §§ 691, 706.

Tennessee Jurisprudence, 1 Tenn. Juris., Abatement, Survival and Revival, § 26; 20 Tenn. Juris., Parties, § 8.

Law Reviews.

An Exegesis of the Ejectment Statutes of Tennessee (R.D. Cox), 18 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 581 (1988).

The Abatement of Criminal Fines upon Death of Defendant: Punishment, Precedent, and Policy, 11 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 67.

Wrongful Death Actions in Tennessee (T. A. Smedley), 27 Tenn. L. Rev. 447.

Comparative Legislation. Abatement and survival of actions:

Ala.  Code §6-5-460 et seq.

Ark.  Code §16-62-101 et seq.

Ga. O.C.G.A. §9-2-40 et seq.

Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 411.130, 411.140.

Miss.  Code Ann. §11-7-25 et seq.

Mo. Sup. Ct. R. 52.13.

N.C.  Gen. Stat. § 1A-1, Rule 25.

Va.  Code § 8.01-16 et seq.

Cited: Brummett v. Evans, 148 F. Supp. 309, 1957 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4020 (D. Tenn. 1957); Miller v. Bomar, 230 F. Supp. 204, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6572 (M.D. Tenn. 1963); Commercial Truck & Trailer Sales, Inc. v. McCampbell, 580 S.W.2d 765, 1979 Tenn. LEXIS 427 (Tenn. 1979); Leffew v. Mayes, 685 S.W.2d 288, 1984 Tenn. App. LEXIS 3055 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1984); Brock v. Warren County, 713 F. Supp. 238, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 5027 (E.D. Tenn. 1989); Thompson v. Williamson County, 219 F.3d 555, 2000 FED App. 233P, 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 16679 (6th Cir. Tenn. 2000); Rusnak v. Phebus, — S.W.3d —, 2008 Tenn. App. LEXIS 328 (Tenn. Ct. App. May 29, 2008); Timmins v. Lindsey, 310 S.W.3d 834, 2009 Tenn. App. LEXIS 731 (Tenn. Ct. App. Oct. 28, 2009).