Statute of Limitations for Class D / 4th Degree Felony in Tennessee

Overview

In Tennessee, the statute of limitations (SOL) sets a deadline for the state to start (i.e., file) criminal charges. For a Class D felony—often described in Tennessee practice as “4th degree” felony in casual language—the default SOL is 1 year.

DocketMath’s statute-of-limitations tool can help you model that deadline quickly, but you’ll need one core input: the date you want to measure from (usually the alleged offense date). From there, the tool calculates a filing deadline based on Tennessee’s general limitations rule.

Limitation period

Default rule: 1 year for Class D (default/general SOL)

Tennessee applies a one-year limitation period for certain felony classes under its general statute. The rule you’ll see cited for the general/default deadline is:

• General SOL period: 1 year
• General statute: Tennessee Code Annotated **§ 40-35-111(e)(2)

That means, under the default rule, the state generally must initiate the prosecution within 1 year of the triggering event (commonly the date of the alleged offense). If the state files after the deadline, the defense can typically raise a limitations challenge.

How the deadline is usually computed (for tool input)

Because criminal SOL questions depend on the specific facts (and how Tennessee treats the “commencement” of prosecution), DocketMath frames the calculation around a practical measurement approach:

• Start date (input): date of the alleged offense (or another triggering date you select in the calculator).
• Time window (default): 1 year.
• Result (output): the calculated latest filing/charging date under the general SOL rule.

In other words, if your start date is moved forward by even a day, the computed deadline moves forward by a day as well—so precise dates matter.

Practical scenario check (illustrative)

Here’s a quick way to visualize the default approach:

• Offense date: Jan 10, 2024
• Default SOL: 1 year
• Calculated deadline (general model): Jan 10, 2025 (same day one year later, subject to how the calculator handles weekends/holidays)

Because courts and procedural rules can affect edge cases, treat the tool result as a deadline model, not a final court determination.

Key exceptions

Even when the default SOL is 1 year, exceptions and tolling concepts can change the outcome. The core takeaway for Class D matters in Tennessee is:

• Start with the general SOL period (1 year under § 40-35-111(e)(2)),
• then check whether facts trigger tolling, suspension, or other statutory carve-outs that extend the limitations window.

DocketMath helps you model the default calculation; it won’t replace a full legal analysis of whether an exception applies in a particular case. Still, you can prepare by gathering the details courts typically scrutinize for SOL questions, such as:

• Whether the defendant was unavailable for service or process in a way that could affect timing
• Whether additional conduct (like concealment) is alleged
• Whether the case involves procedural timing that changes when the prosecution is considered “commenced”

If you want to run multiple timeline versions, the calculator makes it easy to test assumptions. For example, compare:

• using the alleged offense date as the start date, versus
• using a later triggering date if the charging allegations tie the offense timing to a specific event.

Statute citation

The general/default one-year SOL period discussed on this page comes from:

• Tennessee Code Annotated § 40-35-111(e)(2)
  https://law.justia.com/codes/tennessee/title-40/chapter-35/part-1/section-40-35-111/

That subsection provides the default limitations period you apply when you’re working from the charge class framework and no more specific sub-rule applies.

Use the calculator

Want to calculate the deadline quickly with DocketMath? Start here: /tools/statute-of-limitations.

What to do

1. Open /tools/statute-of-limitations.
2. Select Tennessee (US-TN).
3. Choose the general SOL model for Class D / 4th degree felony (the calculator will reflect the 1-year default).
4. Enter the start date you want to measure from (commonly the alleged offense date).
5. Review the computed deadline.

How inputs change outputs

Use DocketMath to see the effect of timeline changes:

• Later start date → later deadline.
• Earlier start date → earlier deadline.
• Different date fields (if the calculator offers them) → different output deadlines.

If your case has competing dates (for example, offense date vs. discovery date vs. last act date), run more than one calculation. This helps you identify which timeline version creates the tightest limits window under the default rule.

Output you should look for

Your key output is the calculated “latest date” consistent with the 1-year SOL framework under Tennessee’s general statute. Treat that date as a strong reference point for timeline triage—even though exceptions can extend or complicate the analysis.

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — Tool comparison
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — How-to guide
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — Tool comparison