What is the punishment for child non-support in Tennessee?
Full Question:
I'm 12 years and physically disabled. I live in my parents' house in Tennessee, but they are not providing any financial support for my needs. They were not even willing to give medical assistance while I was bedridden last week.
03/08/2017 |
Category: Minors ยป Support |
State: Tennessee |
#33571
Answer:
“(a) A person commits the crime of nonsupport who fails to provide support which that person is able to provide and knows the person has a duty to provide to a minor child or to a child or spouse who, because of physical or mental disability, is unable to be self-supporting.
(b) "Child" includes legitimate children and children whose parentage has been admitted by the person charged or established by judicial action.
(c) "Support" includes, but is not limited to, financial assistance, food, shelter, clothing, medical attention or, if determined elsewhere by law, other necessary care.
(d) A person commits the offense of flagrant nonsupport who:
(1) Leaves or remains without the state to avoid a legal duty of support; or
(2) Having been convicted one (1) or more times of nonsupport or flagrant nonsupport, is convicted of a subsequent offense under this section.
(e) (1) Nonsupport under subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor.
(2) Flagrant nonsupport under subsection (d) is a Class E felony.”
Tenn. Code Ann. § 40-35-111 reads:
“***
(e) The authorized terms of imprisonment and fines for misdemeanors are:
(1) Class A misdemeanor, not greater than eleven (11) months, twenty-nine (29) days or a fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), or both, unless otherwise provided by statute . . . .”
(e) The authorized terms of imprisonment and fines for misdemeanors are:
(1) Class A misdemeanor, not greater than eleven (11) months, twenty-nine (29) days or a fine not to exceed two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500), or both, unless otherwise provided by statute . . . .”