Tennessee Code Title 8. Public Officers and Employees § 8-6-409

(a) If the attorney general and reporter has reason to believe that a person is engaging in, has engaged in, or is about to engage in an unlawful act or practice under state law that is a proper subject of inquiry by the attorney general and reporter, or has reason to believe it to be in the public interest to conduct an investigation to ascertain whether a person is engaging in, has engaged in, or is about to engage in such act or practice, the attorney general and reporter may:

(b) Prior to the return date specified in the attorney general and reporter's request for information pursuant to subsection (a), or within ten (10) days following notice of such a request, whichever is shorter, a person from whom information has been requested may petition the circuit or chancery court of the county containing the office from which the attorney general and reporter made the request pursuant to subsection (a), stating good cause, for a protective order to extend the return date for a reasonable time, or to modify or set aside the request.  The attorney general and reporter must receive at least one (1) days' notice of such a petition and must be given an opportunity to respond.

(c) If no protective order from the court is secured and the written request by the attorney general and reporter is not complied with by its return date, the attorney general and reporter, upon notice to the person requested to provide information, may apply to the circuit or chancery court of the county containing the office from which the attorney general and reporter made the request pursuant to subsection (a), for an order compelling compliance with the request made pursuant to subsection (a).

(d) Upon a showing by the attorney general and reporter to the circuit or chancery court of the county containing the office from which the attorney general and reporter made or could have made the request pursuant to subsection (a) that the attorney general and reporter has reason to believe that a person is engaging in, has engaged in, or is about to engage in an unlawful act or practice under state law that is a proper subject of inquiry by the attorney general and reporter, or has reason to believe it to be in the public interest to conduct an investigation to ascertain whether a person is engaging in, has engaged in, or is about to engage in such act or practice;  that the persons who are committing, have committed, or are about to commit such acts or practices or who possess the relevant documentary material have left this state or are about to leave this state;  and that such an order is necessary for the enforcement of any state law that is a proper subject of inquiry by the attorney general and reporter, the court may order such persons to comply with subsection (a) regardless of whether the attorney general and reporter has made a prior request for information.  The court may also, notwithstanding another law, immediately and without notice, forbid the removal from any place, concealment, withholding, destruction, mutilation, falsification, or alteration by any other means of documentary material in the possession, custody, or control of a person believed by the attorney general and reporter to be connected with acts or practices which violate state law that is a proper subject of inquiry by the attorney general and reporter.

(e) A person who has received notice of a request for information pursuant to subsection (a), or of an order pursuant to subsection (c) or (d), and with the intent to avoid, evade, or prevent compliance, in whole or in part, with a civil investigation or order, removes from any place, conceals, withholds, destroys, mutilates, falsifies or by any other means alters documentary material in the possession, custody, or control of a person subject to such notice, is subject to a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) per document, recoverable by this state in addition to any other appropriate sanction.

(f) Documentary material or merchandise requested pursuant to this section must be produced for inspection and copying during normal business hours at the principal office or place of business of the person possessing such documentary material or merchandise, or at such other time and place as may be agreed upon by the possessor and the attorney general and reporter.

(h) Service of a notice, order, or request for information by the attorney general and reporter may be made in compliance with the Tennessee Rules of Civil Procedure or by:

(i) This section does not apply to requests by the attorney general and reporter under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act, compiled in title 47, chapter 18, or the Tennessee Human Rights Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 21.

(j) No provision of this section shall be construed to limit, modify, or supersede the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act or the Tennessee Human Rights Act.