Alcoholic Beverages

It is illegal in Tennessee for a person under the age of twenty-one (21) to:

• possess, purchase, or attempt to purchase alcoholic beverages;
• make a false statement or exhibit false information to the effect of being 21 years of age or older for the purpose of purchasing or obtaining alcoholic beverages;
• drink alcoholic beverages anywhere; including in the home; or
• be served alcoholic beverages in a restaurant or other establishment.

Driver’s license privileges can be denied on conviction of an alcohol offense.  See TN Drug Free Youth Act (55-10-705).

Assault

A person commits assault who causes: (1) bodily injury to another; (2) another to “fear” bodily injury; or, (3) physical contact with another and knows the other will regard the contact as extremely offensive.

Curfew

The curfew ordinance makes it illegal for any person under the age of 18 to be in a public place during curfew hours:

DEFINITIONS OF CHILD/ADULT

Persons under Age 18
The definition of a “child” is a person under eighteen (18) years of age (37-1-102). A child is also commonly referred to as a minor, juvenile, or youth.
The Juvenile Court generally is the court which presides over offenders in this age group; however juveniles of any age can be transferred to the adult criminal court for felony offenses of first or second degree murder, rape, aggravated rape, rape of a child, aggravated robbery, especially aggravated robbery, kidnapping, aggravated kidnapping, or especially aggravated kidnapping (37-1-134).

Persons Age 18 or older
The definition of an “adult” is a person eighteen (18) years of age or older. The adult courts have jurisdiction of this age group.

Disorderly Conduct

A person commits disorderly conduct by:

• fighting, or engaging in violent or threatening behavior
• refusing to obey an official order to disperse to maintain public safety in dangerous proximity to a fire, hazard, or other emergency;
• creating a hazardous or physically offensive condition by any act that serves no legitimate purpose; or,
• making unreasonable noise which prevents others from carrying on lawful activities.

Drugs (Controlled Substances)

It is illegal to possess, casually exchange, manufacture, deliver, or sell drugs.  Strict laws are written to discourage the use and distribution of drugs.  Drugs threaten our individual lives, families, schools and communities. It is also illegal to inhale, sniff, sell, give or possess glue, paint, gasoline, aerosol, or similar products for unlawful purposes.

Drug Paraphernalia

It is unlawful for any person to use or possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia.  Drug paraphernalia is any kind of equipment or materials used or intended to use in growing, processing, injecting, or otherwise introducing into the human body, a controlled substance.  For example, a pipe with marijuana residue is drug paraphernalia.  When marihuana and “rolling papers” are found together, the rolling papers can be considered drug paraphernalia.

Parent Responsibility

Under the ordinance, it is illegal for a parent of a juvenile to permit, either knowingly or negligently, the juvenile to violate curfew.  The term “knowingly” includes knowledge that a parent should reasonably be expected to have concerning the whereabouts of a juvenile in that parent’s custody.  It shall be no defense that a parent was completely indifferent to the activities, conduct or whereabouts of such juvenile.

Parks- Restricted Hours

No person can enter or remain in any park during restricted hours:
Metropolitan parks between 11:00 pm and one half hour before sunrise
US Army Corps of Engineers Parks between 10:00 pm and 6:00 am (unless otherwise posted)

Runaway

School

Smoking Material, Smoking Paraphernalia, Smokeless Tobacco Products

Persons, under the age of 18, cannot directly or indirectly purchase or acquire smoking material, smoking paraphernalia, or smokeless tobacco products.

Reinstate Driver's License/Tennessee Drug-Free Youth Act

Theft of Property

Taking things which do not belong to you without permission of the owner is theft.  Theft includes “shoplifting” items from a store. A person with intent to deprive a store can be charged with theft by

Theft of Services

Theft of services is when a person obtains services and avoids payment for the services.  For example, theft of services is leaving a restaurant without paying for food or driving away from a service station without paying for gasoline.

Trespassing

A person, knowing that a property owner does not want him/her on the property, is trespassing while entering or remaining on the property.  A person must not trespass on property when the property owner has given notice against entering or remaining by any one of the following alternatives:

Vandalism

Any person who causes damage to or destruction of another person’s property can be charged with vandalism.  For example, vandalism is damaging cars by throwing rocks or eggs, or praying graffiti on buildings.  Vandalism is also tampering with another person’s property which causes substantial inconvenience or monetary loss to the property owner.

Weapons

It is illegal to possess, with intent to go armed, a firearm, knife with a blade length longer then four inches, a club, or any deadly weapon used to commit an offense or escape from an offense.  Prohibited weapons also include a switchblade knife, knuckles, or any other weapon used to inflict serious bodily injury or death.
The Metropolitan Board of Public Education will not tolerate any type of weapon on school property. You could be “zero toleranced” from attending public school for one calendar year.