Tenn. Code Ann. § 46-1-313
This is the official text of Tenn. Code Ann. § 46-1-313, part of Tennessee’s Code Ann — part of the compiled statutory law of Tennessee, published by the state as "Code Ann." Browse the sections below, each linked to its official government source.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Trespass on or injury to cemetery property - Interference with processions or religious exercises - Penalty
Official statutory text
(a) No person shall willfully destroy, deface, or injure any monument, tomb, gravestone, or other structure placed in the cemetery, or any roadway, walk, fence or enclosure in or around the cemetery, or injure any tree, plant or shrub, or hunt or shoot, play at any game or amusement, or loiter for lascivious or lewd purposes in the cemetery, or interfere, by words or actions, with any funeral procession or any religious exercises. (b) (1) A violation of this section is a Class E felony. (2) Following conviction of a person for violating subsection (a), evidence of damages sustained as a result of the violation shall be presented to the jury, which shall ascertain the total amount of the damages. The court shall then render judgment in that amount against the offender in favor of the cemetery and/or the other aggrieved parties and shall order the offender to make full restitution for the damages. Execution of the judgment shall issue as in other civil cases. The order of restitution shall be in addition to other sanctions imposed pursuant to subdivision (b)(1). Acts 1875, ch. 142, § 9; Shan., § 2182; Code 1932, § 3920; Acts 1968, ch. 557, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 46-118; Acts 1976, ch. 708, § 2; T.C.A., §§ 46-218, 46-2-118; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 40; 1995, ch. 134, § 1; T.C.A. § 46-2-105 ; Acts 2006, ch. 1012, § 4.
(a) No person shall willfully destroy, deface, or injure any monument, tomb, gravestone, or other structure placed in the cemetery, or any roadway, walk, fence or enclosure in or around the cemetery, or injure any tree, plant or shrub, or hunt or shoot, play at any game or amusement, or loiter for lascivious or lewd purposes in the cemetery, or interfere, by words or actions, with any funeral procession or any religious exercises.
(b) (1) A violation of this section is a Class E felony. (2) Following conviction of a person for violating subsection (a), evidence of damages sustained as a result of the violation shall be presented to the jury, which shall ascertain the total amount of the damages. The court shall then render judgment in that amount against the offender in favor of the cemetery and/or the other aggrieved parties and shall order the offender to make full restitution for the damages. Execution of the judgment shall issue as in other civil cases. The order of restitution shall be in addition to other sanctions imposed pursuant to subdivision (b)(1).
(1) A violation of this section is a Class E felony.
(2) Following conviction of a person for violating subsection (a), evidence of damages sustained as a result of the violation shall be presented to the jury, which shall ascertain the total amount of the damages. The court shall then render judgment in that amount against the offender in favor of the cemetery and/or the other aggrieved parties and shall order the offender to make full restitution for the damages. Execution of the judgment shall issue as in other civil cases. The order of restitution shall be in addition to other sanctions imposed pursuant to subdivision (b)(1).
Acts 1875, ch. 142, § 9; Shan., § 2182; Code 1932, § 3920; Acts 1968, ch. 557, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 46-118; Acts 1976, ch. 708, § 2; T.C.A., §§ 46-218, 46-2-118; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 40; 1995, ch. 134, § 1; T.C.A. § 46-2-105 ; Acts 2006, ch. 1012, § 4.
(a) No person shall willfully destroy, deface, or injure any monument, tomb, gravestone, or other structure placed in the cemetery, or any roadway, walk, fence or enclosure in or around the cemetery, or injure any tree, plant or shrub, or hunt or shoot, play at any game or amusement, or loiter for lascivious or lewd purposes in the cemetery, or interfere, by words or actions, with any funeral procession or any religious exercises.
(b) (1) A violation of this section is a Class E felony. (2) Following conviction of a person for violating subsection (a), evidence of damages sustained as a result of the violation shall be presented to the jury, which shall ascertain the total amount of the damages. The court shall then render judgment in that amount against the offender in favor of the cemetery and/or the other aggrieved parties and shall order the offender to make full restitution for the damages. Execution of the judgment shall issue as in other civil cases. The order of restitution shall be in addition to other sanctions imposed pursuant to subdivision (b)(1).
(1) A violation of this section is a Class E felony.
(2) Following conviction of a person for violating subsection (a), evidence of damages sustained as a result of the violation shall be presented to the jury, which shall ascertain the total amount of the damages. The court shall then render judgment in that amount against the offender in favor of the cemetery and/or the other aggrieved parties and shall order the offender to make full restitution for the damages. Execution of the judgment shall issue as in other civil cases. The order of restitution shall be in addition to other sanctions imposed pursuant to subdivision (b)(1).
Acts 1875, ch. 142, § 9; Shan., § 2182; Code 1932, § 3920; Acts 1968, ch. 557, § 2; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 46-118; Acts 1976, ch. 708, § 2; T.C.A., §§ 46-218, 46-2-118; Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 40; 1995, ch. 134, § 1; T.C.A. § 46-2-105 ; Acts 2006, ch. 1012, § 4.
Status: in_force
Need a lawyer in Tennessee?
Find a Tennessee lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.