Tennessee Free Legal Help for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren
You are raising a grandchild or a relative's child in Tennessee and you have hit a wall — the school wants a custody order, a clinic is refusing your power of attorney, or you need to go to court because the parent will not cooperate. A family law attorney charges $150 to $350 an hour, and a guardianship proceeding can cost $1,000 to $3,000 in fees alone. Here are key free legal resources for Tennessee kinship caregivers.
Help4TN: The Starting Point
The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services runs Help4TN, a statewide legal helpline that connects Tennesseans with free legal assistance. Call 1-844-435-7472 or visit help4tn.org.
Help4TN is not a law firm — it is a triage service. They assess your situation and connect you with the right regional legal aid office. For grandparents and relatives, common referral reasons include:
- Executing a Power of Attorney when a parent is uncooperative or missing
- Filing for temporary custody or guardianship in Juvenile or Chancery Court
- Responding to a school district that refuses a valid POA
- Navigating DCS involvement or safety plan placements
- Applying for TennCare or Families First benefits on the child's behalf
Regional Legal Aid Offices
Tennessee's free legal aid is organized by region. Each office serves residents of its designated counties:
Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands covers 48 counties in Middle and East-Central Tennessee, including Davidson County (Nashville). Intake: 931-528-7436 or 1-800-238-1443. Website: las.org.
Legal Aid of East Tennessee (LAET) serves 26 counties in East Tennessee, including Knox County (Knoxville). Intake: 1-800-572-7457. Website: laet.org.
West Tennessee Legal Services (WTLS) covers 21 counties in West Tennessee outside Memphis. Intake: 1-800-372-8346. Website: wtls.org.
Memphis Area Legal Services (MALS) serves Shelby, Fayette, Tipton, and Lauderdale counties. Intake: 1-800-726-3397. Website: malsi.org.
Legal aid offices set their own income and case-priority requirements, so call the intake office to check eligibility. If you are over the office's income limit, ask whether it can refer you to pro bono or reduced-cost counsel.
STEP: Special Education Advocacy
Support and Training for Exceptional Parents (STEP) provides free statewide advocacy for children with disabilities. If the child has an IEP or 504 plan and you need help navigating special education meetings, STEP can provide advocacy and procedural support. No income requirement. Call 1-800-280-7837 or visit tnstep.org.
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Tennessee Justice Center
The Tennessee Justice Center (TJC) advocates for families facing TennCare, CoverKids, and SNAP benefit denials. If you applied for healthcare or food assistance for the child and were denied, TJC can help with appeals. Call 615-255-0331 or visit tnjustice.org.
Court Filing Fee Waivers
If you need to file for custody or guardianship but cannot afford the filing fees, Tennessee allows indigent filers to submit a Uniform Civil Affidavit of Indigency. The court reviews the affidavit and can waive filing costs entirely. Ask the county clerk's office for the form, or request one from your legal aid attorney.
DCS Relative Caregiver Program
The Relative Caregiver Program is not legal aid, but it connects kinship families with case managers, support groups, respite care, and emergency financial assistance. RCP operates through regional agencies in all 95 Tennessee counties. Contact DCS at 1-833-984-1498 or visit tn.gov/dcs to find your local provider.
When Free Help Is Not Enough
Free legal aid offices prioritize the most urgent cases and have limited capacity. If you are waitlisted or over income, the Tennessee School and Medical Consent Guide gives you the statutory tools to handle many situations without an attorney — the POA form, escalation language for school refusals, medical consent authority, and benefit application checklists. A guide is not a substitute for a lawyer in a contested custody case, but for the daily work of getting a child enrolled and covered, it may be all you need.
Get Your Free Tennessee School and Medical Consent Checklist
Download the Tennessee School and Medical Consent Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.