Report analyzes Tennessee’s progress in adult guardianship cases
In 2021, the National Guardianship Network held its fourth summit. From that event, twenty-two recommendations emerged aimed at improving the adult guardianship system. A new report, published by the Tennessee Bar Foundation, details how the state is doing in relation to those recommendations:
Overall, with the information currently available, Tennessee is compliant with three of the recommendations, partially compliant with five, and has much room for improvement with the other five. Despite this finding, Tennessee has some of the most protective laws for vulnerable individuals subject to conservatorship due to the option for limited conservatorships over plenary conservatorships and the right to counsel for those subject to conservatorship. According to the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel, Tennessee is one of the 29 states where the right of appointment for protected persons in guardianship/conservatorship cases is offered but qualified.17
Amy Bryant, Report Card: How Well Does Tennessee Score on State Recommendations from the National Guardianship Network?, 61(5) Tenn. Bar. J. (Sept/Oct 2025).
