Tennessee Criminal Law

Book excerpt: This casebook relies on Tennessee-specific statutes and cases to illustrate how abstract concepts of criminal law play out on the ground. The role of prosecutors in defining the law through their charging and plea bargaining decisions is emphasized throughout. The mental elements of crimes are analyzed in context, illustrating how the same mental element will be proven differently depending on whether the defendant knew, for instance, that he had stolen goods or illegal drugs. By mooring the discussion to the Tennessee Code, rather than the Model Penal Code, this book is a very practical text for law students in Tennessee without sacrificing any of the philosophical discussions that are central to criminal law.