(a) All arrests and court proceedings for public intoxication or drunkenness in this state shall be under § 39-17-310, to the exclusion of any common law or statutory offense now being enforced.
Terms Used In Tennessee Code 33-10-203
Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) No county, municipality or other political subdivision of this state shall adopt any local law, ordinance, resolution or regulation having the force of law rendering public intoxication or drunkenness in and of itself or being a common drunkard or being found in enumerated places in an intoxicated condition, an offense, a violation of the subject of criminal or civil penalties or sanctions of any kind.(c) Nothing contained in this section shall affect any laws, ordinances, resolutions or regulations against drunken driving, driving under the influence of alcohol or other similar offenses that involve the operation of motor vehicles, machinery or other hazardous equipment.(d) Any fines collected under § 39-17-310 shall be retained by the unit of local government over which the court has jurisdiction.
