Tennessee Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy laws and resources vary from state to state. The following page provides information and resource links for the state of Tennessee.
If you are not looking for information regarding Tennessee, please use the links on the left to find information for your state.
- Courts - Location and Contact Information
- Bankruptcy Laws
- Approved Credit Counseling/Debtor Education Agencies
- Tennessee Attorneys
- Other Bankruptcy Tennessee Resources
Tennessee Bankruptcy Courts - Location and Contact Information
Tennessee bankruptcy courts are divided into three districts, which are further divided into several divisions. Generally, the debtor's county of residence will determine which district and division the bankruptcy petition is filed. It may also be determined by the location of the debtor's principal place of business or principal assets.
EASTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
Counties of Jurisdiction:
Chattanooga Division - Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn,
Meigs, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie Counties
Knoxville Division - Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger,
Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union
Counties
Greeneville Division - Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock,
Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington Counties
Winchester Division - Bedford, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Lincoln,
Moore, Van Buren and Warren Counties
| DIVISION | STREET ADDRESS | MAILING ADDRESS | TELEPHONE |
| Chattanooga Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Historic U.S. Courthouse 31 East 11th Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 |
Same | (423) 752-5163 |
| Knoxville Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Howard H. Baker Jr. U.S. Courthouse 800 Market Street, Suite 330 Knoxville, TN 37902 |
Same | (865) 545-4279 |
| Greeneville Division |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court James H. Quillen U.S. Courthouse 220 West Depot Street, Suite 218 Greeneville, TN |
Same |
(423) 787-0113 |
| Winchester Division |
U.S. Post Office & Courthouse 200 South Jefferson Street Room 305 Winchester, TN 37398 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Historic U.S. Courthouse 31 East 11th Street Chattanooga, TN 37402 |
(423) 752-5163 |
WESTERN DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
Counties of Jurisdiction:
Western Division - Dyer, Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton Counties
Eastern Division - Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crokett, Decatur, Gibson,
Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, McNairy, Madison,
Obion, Perry and Weakley Counties
| DIVISION | STREET ADDRESS | MAILING ADDRESS | TELEPHONE |
| Western Division | U.S. Bankruptcy Court 200 Jefferson Avenue Suite 410 Memphis, TN 38103 |
Same |
(901) 328-3500 |
| Eastern Division | U.S. Bankruptcy Court 111 South Highland Avenue Room 107 Jackson, TN 38301 |
Same | (731) 421-9300 |
MIDDLE DISTRICT OF TENNESSEE
Counties of Jurisdiction:
Nashville Office - Cannon, Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Houston,
Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Stewart, Sumner,
Williamson and Wilson Counties
Columbia Office - Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Marshall, Maury and
Wayne Counties
Cookeville Office - Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon,
Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Trousdale and White Counties
| OFFICES | STREET ADDRESS | MAILING ADDRESS | TELEPHONE |
| Nashville Office | U.S. Bankruptcy Court 701 Broadway, Rm. 160 Nashville, TN 37203 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 24890 Nashville, TN 37202 |
(615) 736-5584 |
| Columbia Office (not permanently staffed) |
Columbia Court House 815 South Garden Street Columbia, TN 38401 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 24890 Nashville, TN 37202 |
(615) 736-5584 |
| Cookeville Office (not permanently staffed) |
Cookeville Court House 9 East Broad Street Cookeville, TN 38503 |
U.S. Bankruptcy Court PO Box 24890 Nashville, TN 37202 |
(615) 736-5584 |
Tennessee Bankruptcy Laws and Exemptions
The U.S. Bankruptcy Code allows individual debtors to exempt certain property from creditor claims based on exemptions under either federal law or state law. Exemptions vary from state to state. Some states have adopted their own set of bankruptcy exemptions that are used in place of the federal exemptions. However, other states give debtors an option to choose between either state or federal exemptions.
For Tennessee bankruptcy filings, state exemptions are used.
Following are common state exemptions in Tennessee:
| Homestead | $5000 homestead exemption; $7500 if real estate jointly owned |
| Automobile | No specified automobile exemption |
| Other Property | Personal property in the aggregate value of $4000 100% of wearing apparel, family portraits and pictures, and family Bible and school books |
Contact a Tennessee bankruptcy lawyer for more information regarding Tennessee bankruptcy exemptions.
The new bankruptcy laws enacted in 2005 also require that debtors pass a means test before filing a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. There are two ways to pass the means test:
1. the debtor's annual income (calculated using the average gross income for the six month period prior to filing) must be below the state median. Census Bureau statistics for state median income by family size can be found here (for cases filed between April 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013).
2. If income exceeds the median income, individuals may still file Chapter 7 bankruptcy based on results of Form 22A: Chapter 7 Statement of Current Monthly Income and Means-Test Calculation. .
Tennessee Credit Counseling & Debtor Education Agencies
Pursuant to the new bankruptcy laws enacted in 2005, individuals who file personal bankruptcy (with limited exceptions) in Tennessee must:
1. take a credit counseling course from an approved Tennessee credit counseling provider within six months before filing bankruptcy; and
2. complete a debtor education course from an approved Tennessee debtor education agency prior to receiving a bankruptcy discharge.
Tennessee Personal Bankruptcy Attorneys
To find Tennessee bankruptcy lawyers in your area, you may want to contact your local county bar association or the Tennessee Bar Association:
Tennessee Bar Association
221 Fourth Avenue North, Suite 400
Nashville, Tennessee 37219
Telephone (615) 383-7421
Based on income, free bankruptcy advice and representation may also be obtained from the following organizations: See the Tennessee Bar Association's Legal Aid/Legal Services' page for a list of organizations that provide legal services to low income clients in Tennessee.
If you are concerned about the representation provided to you by a Tennessee bankruptcy attorney, contact the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee at (800) 486-5714.
Resources for Tennessee Bankruptcy Laws
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee - administrative and procedural information for Eastern District of Tennessee bankruptcy filings
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee - administrative and procedural information for Western District of Tennessee bankruptcy filings
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Tennessee - administrative and procedural information for Middle District of Tennessee bankruptcy filings
Office of the U.S. Trustee for Region 8 - oversees the administration of Tennessee personal bankruptcy cases and case trustees
Tennessee Bar Association - information about the Tennessee bar, membership, ethics, continuing legal education, and resources for the public.