Free Legal Help for Tenants and Landlords in Tennessee

Legal aid organizations, right-to-counsel programs and official court self-help resources in Tennessee, gathered from the state, county and city pages on this site.

Right to a free lawyer in eviction cases

Statewide: No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. T.C.A. Title 29, Chapter 18; Title 66, Chapters 7 and 28

Memphis: No. No right-to-counsel program for tenants was found.
Nashville: Yes, as a Metro-funded program (not a code mandate): free eviction legal help for Davidson County residents at or below 400% FPL via the Eviction Right to Counsel program, (833) 837-HOME. Source

Free legal aid organizations

Memphis Area Legal Services — Free civil legal help for low-income, disabled and elderly Shelby County residents; (901) 523-8822; General Sessions Courthouse Clinic, Room 119, 140 Adams Ave.
Serves: Shelby County (Memphis)
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands — Linked from the Circuit Court Clerk's General Sessions civil page.
Serves: Davidson County (Nashville), Sumner County
Legal Aid of East Tennessee - Knoxville office — Serves Knox, Loudon and Sevier counties; eviction and tenant rights help; office (865) 637-0484; Knoxville Eviction Prevention Program (865) 371-8730.
Serves: Knox County (Knoxville)
Legal Aid of East Tennessee - Chattanooga office — Serves Hamilton and nearby counties; Chattanooga (800) 572-7457.
Serves: Hamilton County (Chattanooga)
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands - Murfreesboro office — Serves Cannon and Rutherford counties; 526 North Walnut Street, Murfreesboro; call 615-890-0905 or 800-238-1443.
Serves: Rutherford County (Murfreesboro)
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands - Clarksville office — Serves Montgomery and nearby counties; 109 South Third Street, Clarksville; call 931-552-6656 or 800-238-1443.
Serves: Montgomery County (Clarksville)
Legal Aid of East Tennessee - Johnson City office — Serves Carter, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties. (423) 928-8311, toll-free (800) 821-1312. With a court date in the next 14 days, call the office directly rather than applying online.
Serves: Washington County (Johnson City), Sullivan County
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands - Nashville Office — Serves Williamson and Davidson counties: 1321 Murfreesboro Pike, Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37217; 615-244-6610; toll-free 800-238-1443.
Serves: Williamson County
West Tennessee Legal Services — Main office 210 West Main Street, Jackson; 731-423-0616; toll-free 800-372-8346. Serves Madison County among its West Tennessee counties; appointment required to meet an attorney.
Serves: Madison County (Jackson)

Find a tenant or eviction lawyer in Tennessee

If you do not qualify for free legal aid, a bar lawyer referral service can match you with a landlord-tenant lawyer for a low-cost first consultation.

Nashville Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service (Nashville area) — 615-242-9272
Initial phone consultation for $40; fee waived for personal injury, medical malpractice and workers' compensation matters

Official court and state resources

Legal aid groups set their own eligibility rules (usually income-based). Call ahead or check their site.

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General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.