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Legal Aid describes eviction right-to-counsel program and tenant representation gap
Summary
Legal Aid Society outlined the eviction right-to-counsel program launched in 2022, described courtroom and community outreach operations and highlighted a data point that nearly all landlords are represented while fewer than 1% of tenants have counsel in Davidson County.
Online session — The Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands described its eviction right-to-counsel program's services, courtroom presence and self-help resources aimed at preventing evictions and keeping tenants housed.
Darcinia Waller, executive director of Legal Aid Society, said the program was funded in July 2022 and began operations in October 2022. Waller described a striking representation imbalance in eviction court: "we found that in Davidson County, 99.8% of landlords ... were represented by an attorney" while "less than 1% of tenants were represented." She said the program's interventions range from courtroom representation and negotiation to community education and self-help tools; she reported a roughly 95% success rate in achieving client-requested outcomes where the program intervenes.
Waller also described frequent courtroom and outreach activity: attorneys and advocates maintain a regular courthouse presence and the society has held more than 300 "know your rights" community education events. The Legal Aid website (las.org) provides self-help materials and translated videos and templates that Waller said aim to help people avoid eviction or to prepare for court when representation is not available.
Waller said Legal Aid works in partnership with groups including the Nashville Hispanic Bar Association and Nashville Conflict Resolution Center to expand language capacity and provide negotiation supports. She also noted systemic process improvements the program pursues with court partners, such as requiring ledgers to be attached to eviction filings so tenants see what they owe.
Next steps: Legal Aid will continue courthouse advocacy, community education and partnerships to expand access to tenant representation and prevention resources.
