{"id":376494,"date":"2018-08-15T15:10:52","date_gmt":"2018-08-15T20:10:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/tennessee-law\/tennessee-robbery-laws.html"},"modified":"2018-08-15T16:40:42","modified_gmt":"2018-08-15T21:40:42","slug":"tennessee-robbery-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/tennessee-law\/tennessee-robbery-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Robbery Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tennessee Robbery Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

The terms theft<\/i> and robbery<\/a><\/i> are sometimes used interchangeably. However, that’s not accurate because they are in fact two separate, albeit related, crimes. All robberies involve a theft<\/a> (unlawful taking of property with the intent to deprive the owner), but not all thefts are robberies. What distinguishes the two offenses is that a robbery is a theft that involves the use of force or violence.<\/p>\r\n

In Tennessee, there are three categories of robbery: robbery<\/i>, aggravated robbery<\/i>, and especially aggravated robbery<\/i>. The specific charges will depend on whether you used a deadly weapon and whether the victim suffered serious bodily injury.<\/p>\r\n

Aggravated robbery is equivalent to "armed robbery" in other states. For the weapon requirement, you don’t have to really use the weapon on the victim. For instance, if you point to your pocket as if you’re packing a gun, leading the victim to reasonably believe that you have a weapon, that action would meet the requirement and could trigger aggravated robbery charges.<\/p>\r\n

An Explanation of Tennessee Robbery\/Aggravated Robbery Laws<\/h2>\r\n

A good way to get a handle on the law is by using an easy-to-read guide. The chart below is just that as it explains robbery laws in Tennessee in everyday language, rather than legal jargon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Statutes<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Tenn. Code Annotated:<\/p>\r\n

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Elements of the Crime<\/b><\/p>\r\n

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Robbery:<\/i><\/b> Intentional theft of property from another person by violence or putting the person in fear.<\/p>\r\n

Aggravated robbery:<\/b><\/i> Robbery that includes the following:<\/p>\r\n

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  • Use of a deadly weapon or a display that can lead the victim to reasonably believe the presence of a deadly weapon; or<\/li>\r\n
  • Where the victim suffers serious bodily injury.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n

    Especially aggravated robbery:<\/i><\/b> Robbery that includes the following:<\/p>\r\n

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    • Use of a deadly weapon; and<\/li>\r\n
    • Where the victim suffers bodily injury.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Possible Penalties<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

The penalties can include a range of prison time and fines, but the actual penalties depend on individual factors such as criminal history of the defendant. The following are general guidelines of penalties for Tennessee’s robbery offenses.<\/p>\r\n

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  • Robbery is a Class C felony, punishable by 3-15 years in prison<\/i><\/b>.<\/li>\r\n
  • Aggravated robbery is a Class B felony, punishable by 8-30 years in prison<\/i><\/b>.<\/li>\r\n
  • Especially aggravated robbery is a Class A felony, punishable by 15-60 years in prison<\/i><\/b>.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Related Offenses<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Tennessee Code Annotated:<\/p>\r\n