[// GUIDANCE: This template is drafted for use in any Tennessee Criminal
Court of Record (Circuit or Criminal Court). Verify the
local rules of the specific judicial district for additional
formatting or filing requirements before use. ]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Caption & Style of Case
2. Motion to Suppress
   2.1 Introduction & Relief Requested
   2.2 Statement of Facts
   2.3 Legal Standard
   2.4 Argument
   2.4.1 Constitutional Violation
   2.4.2 Absence of Recognized Exception
   2.4.3 Inapplicability of Good-Faith Exception
   2.4.4 Fruits of the Poisonous Tree
   2.5 Request for Evidentiary Hearing
   2.6 Conclusion & Prayer for Relief
3. Certificate of Service
4. Proposed Order (optional)

1. CAPTION & STYLE OF CASE

IN THE [__] COURT FOR [__] COUNTY, TENNESSEE
STATE OF TENNESSEE,
Plaintiff,
v. Case No. [______]
[DEFENDANT’S FULL LEGAL NAME],
Defendant.

2. MOTION TO SUPPRESS

2.1 Introduction & Relief Requested

Comes now the Defendant, [DEFENDANT’S NAME] (“Defendant”), by and through undersigned counsel, and respectfully moves this Honorable Court, pursuant to the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Article I, Section 7 of the Tennessee Constitution, and Tenn. R. Crim. P. 12(b), to suppress and exclude from evidence:

a. All physical objects seized on or about [DATE];
b. Any statements, admissions, or confessions allegedly made by Defendant; and
c. Every derivative item, observation, or testimonial act constituting the “fruit” of the foregoing.

[// GUIDANCE: If a written search warrant is at issue, append a copy as
“Exhibit A.” If the suppression request addresses multiple
searches or seizures, enumerate them separately for clarity.]

2.2 Statement of Facts

1. On [DATE] at approximately [TIME], officers of the [AGENCY] conducted a [search / traffic stop / seizure] of Defendant located at [LOCATION].
2. The officers [obtained / did not obtain] a judicially-issued warrant prior to the search.
3. As a result of the search, law enforcement seized [describe items] and elicited statements from Defendant.
4. The operative facts are more fully set forth in the [Affidavit of _], attached hereto as Exhibit [__] and incorporated by reference.

[// GUIDANCE: Insert only objective, non-argumentative facts here. Reserve
legal characterization for the Argument section.]

2.3 Legal Standard

1. The Fourth Amendment guarantees the right of persons to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures; evidence obtained in violation thereof is inadmissible.
2. Article I, Section 7 of the Tennessee Constitution affords parallel—often greater—protections.
3. Under Tenn. R. Crim. P. 12(b), motions alleging constitutional violations relating to the suppression of evidence must be raised prior to trial.
4. The State bears the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, the lawfulness of a warrantless search once the Defendant establishes a prima facie showing of an expectation of privacy.

[// GUIDANCE: Tennessee courts apply the same exclusionary-rule framework as
federal courts but evaluate “good-faith” more narrowly.
Cite controlling Tennessee precedent in a supporting brief
if desired; omit case citations in the motion per policy.]

2.4 Argument

2.4.1 Constitutional Violation

The warrantless [search / seizure] of Defendant and his property constitutes a per se violation of the Fourth Amendment and Article I, Section 7 absent a specifically established exception to the warrant requirement.

2.4.2 Absence of Recognized Exception

The State cannot credibly rely on any enumerated exception—including but not limited to consent, search-incident-to-arrest, exigent circumstances, automobile exception, or plain-view doctrine—because:
a. [Explain why no valid consent existed / why search exceeded scope / why no exigency was present]; and
b. The officers lacked [probable cause / articulable reasonable suspicion] at the time of the intrusion.

2.4.3 Inapplicability of Good-Faith Exception

Even if a warrant issued, the executing officers lacked objective reasonable reliance because:
a. The warrant affidavit was [facially deficient / contained deliberate or reckless falsehoods];
b. The issuing magistrate abandoned the neutral-and-detached role; or
c. Tennessee’s more protective stance, grounded in Article I, Section 7, renders the federal good-faith exception inapplicable under state law where the underlying affidavit is insufficient.

2.4.4 Fruits of the Poisonous Tree

Pursuant to the exclusionary rule, all evidence obtained directly or indirectly from the unconstitutional search must be suppressed, including:
• Physical evidence listed supra § 2.1(a);
• Statements referenced supra § 2.1(b); and
• Investigative leads and testimonial evidence derived therefrom.

2.5 Request for Evidentiary Hearing

Defendant requests an evidentiary hearing under Tenn. R. Crim. P. 12(f) to determine the legality of the search and to resolve factual disputes regarding:
1. [Whether probable cause existed];
2. [Whether valid consent was given]; and
3. Any other material facts the Court deems pertinent.

2.6 Conclusion & Prayer for Relief

WHEREFORE, Defendant respectfully prays that this Court:
1. Grant this Motion in its entirety;
2. Suppress all evidence and statements described herein;
3. Prohibit any reference to such evidence at trial; and
4. Grant such other and further relief as justice may require.

Respectfully submitted this ___ day of ____, 20__.

[ATTORNEY NAME]
Attorney for Defendant
[Firm Name]
[Address]
[Telephone] | [Email]
BPR No. [__]

3. CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Motion to Suppress Evidence has been served upon the Office of the District Attorney General for the [__th] Judicial District by [hand-delivery / e-mail / e-filing system] on this ___ day of ____, 20__.

[ATTORNEY NAME]

4. PROPOSED ORDER (optional)

[// GUIDANCE: Some Tennessee judges prefer counsel to attach a proposed
order; others do not. Confirm judge-specific preferences.]

IN THE [__] COURT FOR [______] COUNTY, TENNESSEE
STATE OF TENNESSEE v. [DEFENDANT]

Case No. [__]

ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT’S MOTION TO SUPPRESS

Upon consideration of the Defendant’s Motion, the evidence presented, and
the arguments of counsel, the Court finds that the search and seizure at
issue violated the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and
Article I, Section 7 of the Tennessee Constitution, and that no applicable
exception or good-faith reliance saves the evidence obtained.

IT IS, THEREFORE, ORDERED that:
1. The Motion to Suppress is GRANTED;
2. All evidence and statements identified in the Motion are hereby
SUPPRESSED and excluded from use at trial; and
3. The State is prohibited from making any reference to the suppressed
evidence before the jury.

SO ORDERED this ___ day of ____, 20__.

[JUDGE’S NAME]
Judge of the [______] Court