[Obsolete except for persons previously convicted of Class X felonies.]

(a) Except as otherwise provided by this section, any charge of a Class X felony shall be tried within one hundred fifty (150) days following arraignment unless delay is occasioned by the defendant, by an examination for competency ordered pursuant to § 33-7-301, by a competency hearing, by an adjudication of incompetency for trial, by a continuance allowed after a court’s determination of the defendant’s physical incapacity for trial, or by an interlocutory appeal.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 40-18-103

  • Affidavit: A written statement of facts confirmed by the oath of the party making it, before a notary or officer having authority to administer oaths.
  • Answer: The formal written statement by a defendant responding to a civil complaint and setting forth the grounds for defense.
  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Arraignment: A proceeding in which an individual who is accused of committing a crime is brought into court, told of the charges, and asked to plead guilty or not guilty.
  • Bail: Security given for the release of a criminal defendant or witness from legal custody (usually in the form of money) to secure his/her appearance on the day and time appointed.
  • Continuance: Putting off of a hearing ot trial until a later time.
  • Defendant: In a civil suit, the person complained against; in a criminal case, the person accused of the crime.
  • Dismissal: The dropping of a case by the judge without further consideration or hearing. Source:
  • Indictment: The formal charge issued by a grand jury stating that there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to justify having a trial; it is used primarily for felonies.
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) Where the indictment charges a Class X felony, the trial court, in its discretion, may continue the action only upon the filing of an affidavit by the party seeking the continuance demonstrating that a manifest injustice will result if the action is not continued. Whenever the trial of a Class X felony is continued, it shall within thirty (30) days be set for trial unless the court will not be in session or unless another trial date has been agreed to by the parties and approved by the court. This continuance may be from term to term. The trial court may continue a trial pursuant to this subsection (b) on its own motion if the trial of another Class X felony is in progress at the time set for trial or has been set to conflict with the time needed to try a criminal case where both parties agree.
(c) Upon good cause shown, either before or after the indictment on a charge other than a Class X felony, the trial court may order the action to be continued from term to term and, in the meantime, may discharge the defendant from custody on the defendant’s own undertaking, or on the undertaking of bail for appearance to answer the charge at the time to which the action is continued.
(d) Upon the motion of a member of the general assembly qualified to make a motion under this section, or the member’s attorney or representative, a continuance shall be granted by the trial court at any stage of any action, if it is shown to the satisfaction of the court that an attorney, party or material witness in a criminal prosecution is a member of the general assembly and that:

(1) The general assembly is in annual regular session or special session; or
(2) The attorney, party or material witness would be required to be absent from any meeting of a legislative committee while the general assembly is not in session if a continuance is not granted.
(e) Failure to comply with subsections (a)-(d) shall not act to require release of a defendant from custody or a dismissal or withdrawal of charges.
(f) Any hearing on a motion for a new trial or on any subsequent appeal, the hearing or trial shall be set, and shall be subject to continuance, substantially in conformity with this section in order to provide for an expedited hearing.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Chapter 18 Contents