When someone thinks of theft, he or she might imagine someone taking an item off a shelf or an individual breaking into a home to take another person’s belongings. Both are forms of theft; however, this crime and the charges associated with it include more than just these two descriptions. All crimes involving theft are known as property crimes and the two that often get confused are burglary and robbery. While they may look synonymous on television, the two offenses are defined differently by Tennessee legislation.

What Is Burglary?

All criminal offenses have classifications that must be met in order to be charged with that particular offense and burglary is no exception. Acts that include the following criteria are classified as burglary in Tennessee:

Like many other states, Tennessee has made changes to its gun laws--more specifically, its concealed carry law. What sets Tennessee apart from many other states is that rather than tightening its legislation regarding concealed carry, Tennessee is fighting to protect its residents’ Second Amendment rights. Recent legislation has changed the state’s previous rules regarding concealed carry. Changes to gun laws can cause confusion or misunderstanding for Tennessee residents, resulting in potential weapons charges that have serious consequences.

What Are the General Firearm Laws in Tennessee?

Tennessee is known as a “shall issue” state when it comes to concealed weapons permits. In other words, if an applicant has the basic requirements set by the state law, the issuing authority is compelled to issue a permit. Tennessee is not alone: 41 other states have followed suit. Purchasing a handgun from a private individual does not require a permit, a background check, or a firearms registration. If a gun is not loaded, and the ammunition is not immediately nearby, open carry is legal with or without a permit. However, the state prohibits the possession of a firearm “with the intent to go armed,” and an individual must be at least 18 years old to do so. Of course, there are certain locations where carrying a firearm is off-limits, such as schools and government buildings.

With over 75 four-year colleges and universities in the state, Tennessee has thousands of college students. It is very common for students to test their limits, since they are experiencing their first taste of freedom from the rules and discipline of their parents. Crimes committed while in college can be accidental if students are not from the state in which their university is located and are unfamiliar with the state’s laws. For instance, a young adult from Colorado who smokes marijuana may not realize that all forms of cannabis intake are illegal in Tennessee. Students can avoid accidentally making a costly mistake by familiarizing themselves with the laws of the state in which their college is located.

Criminal Charges for College Students

There are some crimes that college students tend to be accused of, no matter the state in which their school is located. Some common crimes that college students may be charged with include:

Stalking has taken on a variety of forms, especially with the emergence of social media. Stalking used to be just physical, but now it can take on digital forms as well. While you may have seen versions of stalking on television and in the movies, these are usually not an accurate depiction of the reality of stalking. The act of stalking can be as dramatic as the TV shows, but it is typically more reserved and secretive. The state of Tennessee describes three levels of stalking to omit any discrepancies that may exist.

Definition of Stalking

According to Tennessee law, stalking is defined as “a willful course of conduct involving repeated or continued harassment of another individual that would cause and actually did cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized, frightened, intimidated, threatened, harassed, or molested.” This definition is long and detailed to recognize all possible offenses. The act is a Class A misdemeanor for first-time offenders but becomes a Class E felony if the stalker is registered as a sexual offender at the time of the incident. Class A misdemeanors may require less than a year in jail or a fine of up to $2,500. Class E felonies can result in one to six years in prison in addition to a fine of up to $3,000.

National parks are meant for everyone to enjoy, and there are a number of rules and regulations in place to help ensure safety for visitors and wildlife alike. Although there are probably many laws that not everyone is familiar with, they are still regularly enforced. If you have been accused of a federal crime in one of the national parks in Tennessee, you will need a knowledgeable attorney to guide you through your rights and options for defense.

What Violations Can I Face in a National Park?

One of the biggest issues in national parks is the use of alcohol. Although alcoholic beverages are allowed in certain picnic areas, campgrounds, and shelters, open containers of alcohol are prohibited elsewhere throughout the parks. Lack of awareness and/or respect for this rule can result in criminal charges.

In addition, drunk driving is not acceptable, and it can be especially dangerous in national parks, since many of the parks’ roads are narrow and winding, and there are typically many other drivers on the road. There are quite a few alcohol-related deaths in the parks each year, and DUI is taken very seriously.