2020 Tennessee Code
Title 29 - Remedies and Special Proceedings
Chapter 9 - Contempt of Court
§ 29-9-103. Punishment

1. The punishment for contempt may be by fine or by imprisonment, or both.
2. Where not otherwise specially provided, the circuit, chancery, and appellate courts are limited to a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00), and imprisonment not exceeding ten (10) days, and, except as provided in § 29-9-108, all other courts are limited to a fine of ten dollars ($10.00).

Code 1858, § 4107; Shan., § 5919; Code 1932, § 10120; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 23-903; Acts 1985, ch. 438, § 1.

Compiler's Notes. Subsection (b) was amended twice in 1985, by ch. 324, § 1 (passed May 2, 1985), and by ch. 438 (passed May 22, 1985), neither amendment referring to the other. The section set out above is as amended by ch. 438, the later expression of legislative intent.

Cross-References. Criminal contempt, Tenn. R. Crim. P. 42.

Disobedience of habeas corpus, §29-21-128.

Tennessee Criminal Reform Act of 1989, §40-35-101.

Textbooks. Gibson's Suits in Chancery (7th ed., Inman), § 377.

Pritchard on Wills and Administration of Estates (4th ed., Phillips and Robinson), §§ 317, 667, 838.

Tennessee Criminal Practice and Procedure (Raybin), §§ 9.30, 24.15.

Tennessee Forms (Robinson, Ramsey and Harwell), No. 1-45.06-1.

Tennessee Jurisprudence, 7 Tenn. Juris., Contempt, §§ 3, 13; 15 Tenn. Juris., Injunctions, § 60; 16 Tenn. Juris., Intoxicating Liquors, § 27; 25 Tenn. Juris., Witnesses, § 5.

Law Reviews.

Best Interest on the Move: Standards for Custodial Removal of Children from Tennessee (A. Darby Dickerson, W. David Stalnaker), 18 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 399 (1988).

16 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 553 (1986).

Criminal Contempt, Jury Trial, Private Prosecutors & Child Support, (Clarke Lee Shaw), 34 No. 4 Tenn. B.J. 22 (1998).

Developments in the Doctrine of Equitable Restraint: Deference Without Distinction (Edward J. McKenney, Jr.), 12 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 385 (1982).

Domestic Relations — 1963 Tennessee Survey (T.A. Smedley), 17 Vand. L. Rev. 1039.

Forms of Relief, 4 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 400.

Recent Developments in Tennessee and Federal Procedure (Donald F. Paine), 36 Tenn. L. Rev. 276.

The Contempt Powers of Tennessee Courts (E. Michael Ellis), 37 Tenn. L. Rev. 538.

The Tennessee Court System — Municipal Courts (Frederic S. Le Clercq), 8 Mem. St. U.L. Rev. 431.

Attorney General Opinions. Imprisonment for contempt of city court, OAG 84-283 (10/18/84).

Limitation of contempt powers, OAG 89-15 (2/8/89).

Incarceration for wilful contempt for failure to pay support, OAG 89-104 (8/17/89).

Cited: Leonard v. Leonard, 207 Tenn. 609, 341 S.W.2d 740, 1960 Tenn. LEXIS 501 (1960); State v. Sammons, 656 S.W.2d 862, 1982 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 491 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1982); Oil, Chemical, etc., 719 S.W.2d 550, 1986 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 2718 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1986); In re Throneberry, 754 S.W.2d 633, 1988 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 138 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1988); Black v. Blount, 938 S.W.2d 394, 1996 Tenn. LEXIS 807 (Tenn. 1996); State v. Winningham, 958 S.W.2d 740, 1997 Tenn. LEXIS 632 (Tenn. 1997); Wilson v. Wilson, 984 S.W.2d 898, 1998 Tenn. LEXIS 744 (Tenn. 1998); State v. Gray, 46 S.W.3d 749, 2000 Tenn. App. LEXIS 677 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2000); Freeman v. Freeman, 147 S.W.3d 234, 2003 Tenn. App. LEXIS 660 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003); Robinson v. Fulliton, 140 S.W.3d 304, 2003 Tenn. App. LEXIS 789 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003); Moody v. Hutchison, 159 S.W.3d 15, 2004 Tenn. App. LEXIS 331 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004); Cottingham v. Cottingham, 193 S.W.3d 531, 2006 Tenn. LEXIS 442 (Tenn. 2006);  Sneed v. Bd. of Prof'l Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tenn., 301 S.W.3d 603, 2010 Tenn. LEXIS 66 (Tenn. Jan. 26, 2010); In re Lineweaver, 343 S.W.3d 401, 2010 Tenn. App. LEXIS 75 (Tenn. Ct. App. Jan. 28, 2010); McLean v. McLean, — S.W.3d —, 2010 Tenn. App. LEXIS 365 (Tenn. Ct. App. May 28, 2010); In re Drake L., — S.W.3d —, 2010 Tenn. App. LEXIS 445 (Tenn. Ct. App. July 13, 2010); State ex rel. Farris v. Bryant, — S.W.3d —, 2011 Tenn. App. LEXIS 84 (Tenn. Ct. App. Feb. 24, 2011); Sloan v. Poff, — S.W.3d —, 2011 Tenn. App. LEXIS 153 (Tenn. Ct. App. Mar. 29, 2011); State ex rel. Creighton v. Foster, — S.W.3d —, 2011 Tenn. App. LEXIS 173 (Tenn. Ct. App. Apr. 7, 2011); State v. Aaron Bonding Co., — S.W.3d —, 2011 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 242 (Tenn. Crim. App. Mar. 30, 2011); State ex rel. Eason v. Swinger, — S.W.3d —, 2012 Tenn. App. LEXIS 115 (Tenn. Ct. App. Feb. 22, 2012); Smith v. Garvin, — S.W.3d —, 2012 Tenn. App. LEXIS 401 (Tenn. Ct. App. June 19, 2012); State v. Hill, — S.W.3d —, 2012 Tenn. Crim. App. LEXIS 697 (Tenn. Crim. App. Sept. 5, 2012); Finchum v. Finchum, — S.W.3d —, 2013 Tenn. App. LEXIS 101 (Tenn. Ct. App. Feb. 13, 2013).