TN HB0216

Property owners or their authorized agents may request immediate sheriff removal of unlawful occupants from commercial properties, including vacant lots zoned for commercial use, by filing a verified complaint under penalty of perjury

Removal applies only when the occupant is not a current/former tenant, not an immediate family member (spouse, parent, sibling, child), and there is no pending litigation over the property

Sheriffs must verify property ownership, serve notice to vacate without delay, and may arrest occupants for trespass or other crimes; service fees match those for writs of possession

Property owners and sheriffs are shielded from liability for property damage during removal unless the removal was wrongful

Persons wrongfully removed may sue for restoration of possession, actual damages, triple fair market rent, court costs, and attorney fees; effective July 1, 2025