Across 26 counties — from Chattanooga to the Tri Cities — Legal Aid of East Tennessee provides civil legal representation for those who need it most. The elderly. Victims of domestic violence. Low-income families. All those who face a legal challenge yet don’t have the vital assistance they need. Every day, we proudly answer the call for high-quality legal services that help change lives and improve communities.
Whether you’re facing harassment from bill collectors or looking for options to address financial hardships involving your home or assets, the following resources can help you navigate several common issues.
LAET serves families of all kinds to help them stay safe and healthy. Family law includes adoption, divorce, parenting plans, juvenile emancipation, and orders of protection. Below, you’ll find resources related to family law as well as matters crucial to family health and wellbeing. These are designed to help you advocate for yourself or your family in the State of Tennessee.
LAET serves families of all kinds to help them stay safe and healthy. Family law includes adoption, divorce, parenting plans, juvenile emancipation, and orders of protection. Below, you’ll find resources related to family law as well as matters crucial to family health and wellbeing. These are designed to help you advocate for yourself or your family in the State of Tennessee.
Tenants, landlords, and homeowners all have unique rights in the State of Tennessee. Here are resources to understand how to advocate for housing justice and navigate issues of property.
Senior citizens are some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. More and more Tennesseans age 60 and older live in poverty and face financial insecurity, housing instability, difficulties accessing benefits and healthcare, and exploitation and abuse. Often, they may not be able to afford a private attorney and are left isolated and unprepared to navigate complicated issues and legal systems.
Our services are free of charge to qualifying seniors (see below).
The settlement of two related Chancery Court cases in Davidson County, Tennessee, resulted in the availability of approximately $36 million in funding for the purpose 0f making life better for older Tennesseans. The funding—the SeniorTrust/ElderTrust grant—was distributed to address the four areas in which Tennessee seniors are most disadvantaged: housing, transportation, dental, and legal assistance.
Approximately $5.5 million was routed to legal services, and the Tennessee Senior Law Alliance (TSLA) was established. TSLA is a first-of-its-kind network in which the four major legal aid organizations across the state (Memphis Area Legal Services, West Tennessee Legal Services, Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands, and Legal Aid of East Tennessee) work together to provide expanded free civil legal services to qualifying seniors in all 95 counties in Tennessee.
WE ADVOCATE
A senior may qualify for our free legal help if:
Estate Planning
(wills, powers of attorney, advanced directives/living wills, conservatorships, probate issues, etc.)
Public Benefits and Healthcare Benefits
(Social Security, SSDI, SSI, Medicare, Medicaid/TennCare, CHOICES, QITs/Miller Trusts, SNAP/food stamps, etc.)
Consumer Issues
(debt collection, creditor harassment, predatory lending, scams, identity theft, etc.)
Housing Issues
(landlord-tenant issues, housing discrimination, evictions, etc.)
Financial Exploitation and Elder Abuse
(power of attorney revocations, orders of protection, etc.)
WE EDUCATE
In addition to providing free legal services out of our offices to qualifying seniors, we also provide free educational presentations and programs and walk-in legal care clinics at different senior centers and locations throughout our service area. Anyone is welcome to attend our educational programs, including family members of seniors.
If you would like to know if we are coming to a location near you soon for an educational program or legal clinic, or if you would like to host such an event at your venue, contact Hayley Griffith for more information and scheduling: (865) 251-4944 or hgriffith@laet.org.
*NOTICE: Our in-person outreach is currently suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
We also develop and circulate free educational materials with basic legal information (see the “Downloadable Resources” block).
To see if you qualify for our free legal services:
CALL our Senior Line: (866) 333-1505
(Please note the Senior Line area code is 866, not 865)
EMAIL us at LegalAid@laet.org, OR
VISIT one of our offices
*NOTICE: Our offices are currently closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Social Security Disability Process
Seniors: Legal Diagnostic (Coming Soon!)
Seniors: Social Security (Coming Soon!)
Other:
First Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability
East Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability
If you need to contact Legal Aid of East Tennessee, you may call any of our offices listed below:
607 W Summit Hill Dr. SW
Knoxville, TN 37902
(865) 637-0484
100 W Martin Luther King Blvd., Ste 402
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 756-4013
Toll Free (800) 572-7457
311 W. Walnut St.
Johnson City, TN 37604
(423) 928-8311
Toll Free (800) 821-1312
270 N. Ocoee St.
Cleveland, TN 37311
(423) 303-2266
Toll Free (800) 572-7457
307 Ellis Ave.
Maryville, TN 37804
(865) 981-1818
1001 W. 2nd North St.
Morristown, TN 37814
(423) 587-4850
Toll Free (800) 821-1309
For abusive, violent and trafficking situations, please contact one of our family justice centers listed below:
Family Justice Center
400 Harriet Tubman
Knoxville, TN 37914
(865) 215-6830
Family Justice Center
5705 Uptain Road
Chattanooga, TN 37411
(423) 643-7604
Family Justice Center
196 Montgomery St.
Johnson City, TN 37604
(423) 722-3720
Family Justice Center
313 Foothills Dr
Blountville, TN 37617
(423) 574-7233
