Tennessee Code 55-10-411 – Presumption of impairment – Notice of penalties for additional offenses – Allegation of prior convictions – Mandatory service of minimum sentence – No defense that person is lawful user of substance – Strip searches – Juris…
(a) For the purpose of proving a violation of § 55-10-401(a)(1), evidence that there was, at the time alleged, eight-hundredths of one percent (0.08%) or more by weight of alcohol in the defendant‘s blood shall create a presumption that the defendant’s ability to drive was sufficiently impaired thereby to constitute a violation of § 55-10-401(1).
Terms Used In Tennessee Code 55-10-411
Conviction: A judgement of guilt against a criminal defendant.
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:
Driver: means :(A) For purposes of a conventionally operated vehicle, every person who drives or is in actual physical control of a vehicle. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
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.
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.
Person: means a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, corporation, or an engaged ADS. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
Probable cause: A reasonable ground for belief that the offender violated a specific law.
Probation: A sentencing alternative to imprisonment in which the court releases convicted defendants under supervision as long as certain conditions are observed.
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
Vehicle: means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b)(1) Any person convicted of an initial or subsequent offense shall be advised, in writing, of the penalty for second and subsequent convictions, and, in addition, when pronouncing sentence the judge shall advise the defendant of the penalties for additional offenses. Written notice by the judge shall inform the defendant that a conviction for the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant committed in another state shall be used to enhance the punishment for a violation of § 55-10-401 committed in this state.(2) In the prosecution of second or subsequent offenders, the indictment or charging instrument must allege the prior conviction or convictions for a violation of driving under the influence of an intoxicant under § 55-10-401, boating under the influence under § 69-9-217(a), vehicular assault under § 39-13-106, aggravated vehicular assault under § 39-13-115, vehicular homicide under § 39-13-213(a)(2), or aggravated vehicular homicide under § 39-13-218, setting forth the time and place of each prior conviction or convictions. When the state uses a conviction for the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, boating under the influence, aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault, vehicular assault, or adult driving while impaired committed in another state for the purpose of enhancing the punishment for a violation of § 55-10-401, the indictment or charging instrument must allege the time, place, and state of the prior conviction.(c) No person charged with violating § 55-10-401 shall be eligible for suspension of prosecution and dismissal of charges pursuant to §§ 40-15-102 – 40-15-105 and 40-32-101(a)(3)-(c)(3) or for any other diversion program nor shall any person convicted under such sections be eligible for suspension of sentence or probation pursuant to former § 40-21-101 [repealed] or any other law authorizing suspension of sentence or probation until such time as the person has fully served day for day at least the minimum sentence provided by law.(d) Nothing in chapter 591 of the Public Acts of 1989, the Sentencing Reform Act of 1989, shall be construed as altering, amending or decreasing the penalties established in this section for the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant.(e) The fact that any person charged with violating § 55-10-401 is or has been entitled to use one (1) or more intoxicants, alcohol, marijuana, controlled substances, controlled substance analogues, drugs, or other substances that cause impairment shall not constitute a defense against any charge of violating this part.(f) No person arrested for a violation of § 55-10-401 shall be subjected to a strip search or body cavity search, unless the officer has probable cause to believe the arrested person is concealing a weapon or contraband in a body cavity. Contraband includes, but is not limited to, illegal drugs.(g) No judge of the general sessions court has jurisdiction to punish any person violating § 55-10-401 under the small offense law.(h) The following definitions shall apply to this part:
(1) All definitions at § 55-8-101;(2) “Functioning ignition interlock device” means a device that:
(A) Connects a motor vehicle ignition system to a breath-alcohol analyzer and prevents a motor vehicle ignition from starting if a driver‘s blood alcohol level exceeds the calibrated setting on the device; (B) Employs technology capable of taking a photo identifying the person providing the breath sample, recording the date, time, and test result along with the photo of the person providing the breath sample and storing such information on the device for transfer to remote storage and reporting; and (C) On all new installations on or after January 1, 2024, employs global positioning system (GPS) technology that will geotag the motor vehicle’s location whenever an initial startup test, a random retest, or a skipped test occurs, or when circumvention of the device is detected. The GPS technology shall not be used for continuous tracking of the vehicle;(3) “Ignition interlock provider” means an entity that has been approved and certified by the department of safety to provide the installation, monitoring and removal of functioning ignition interlock devices in this state; and(4) “Test” means any chemical test designed to determine the alcoholic or drug content of the blood. The specimen to be used for the test shall include blood, urine or breath.
