Public outcry is needed for Tennessee to fix the Department of Children’s Services – Opinion – By Dawn Coppock – Published by The Tennessean, The Knoxville News Sentinel & The Commerical Appeal – January 4, 2023 ..read more

Adoption Law School Summer Camp At The Beach April 12-15, 2023 Registration is Open! Become a better adoption lawyer, Strengthen your relationships with colleagues, and Spend your afternoons on the beach. I’ve kept what you love, The beautiful Gulf Coast, Comprehensive, up to the minute legal curriculum, 100% of your annual CLE, Dawn’s practical, efficient, and irreverent presentation style, Short days, and plenty of free time, Yoga on the beach, and The best CLE snacks anywhere. And enhanced it. Materials will include a complete set of updated adoption forms, and checklists! You will ..read more

Read it here: Happier Childhoods and Better Best Interest Factors – TBA Journal – July / August 2021 ..read more

On April 22, 2021, the Governor signed HB200/SB205, new factors for judges to consider to determine the best interest of a child in a termination of a parental rights case. My detailed analysis is HERE ..read more

Click above to play the legislative advocacy video. Sample legislator letter below: Dear Senator (or Representative) Schmo: I live in XXXX (If you live in the lawmaker’s district). I am an attorney/adoptive parent/ environmental engineer/teacher/go to church with your brother (or anything that is topically relevant or establishes why you are interested or how they might know you.) I am concerned about/or strongly support HB 000 SB 000, because…… (Be specific. Use examples of how this bill would help or hurt the applicable situation and what you want or worry will happen.) Thank you for your s ..read more

 In Tennessee, to terminate a parent’s rights the petitioner (Agency or prospective adoptive parents) must prove grounds “against” the parent AND also must prove that termination of parental rights is in the child’s best interest.  In most cases, proof of grounds is the difficult part, but occasionally grounds are easy and a trial will be more about what is in the child’s best interest. Tennessee law sets out the factors judges must consider when determining the child’s best interest in a termination case. Many psychological professionals, foster parents and lawyers have observed tha ..read more

Adoption is a microcosm of values, politics, psychology, economics, public policy, emotion and aggressively competing interests. It is interesting, dynamic, and, in the past three legislative sessions here in Tennessee, very active. Let’s hit the high points. Read the full article here, published by the Knoxville Bar Association in the October DICTA (Volume 48, Issue 8 ..read more

Effective March 22, 2019, post adoption contracts may be legally enforceable.  Learn more: In the May Tennessee Bar Journal article by Mike Jennings. At the Win/Win or Warfare seminar in June.  Visit www.goodlawtn.com to register. At www.dawncoppock.com. Sample Contract for Post Adoption Contact – Enforceable Sample Agreement for Post Adoption Contact – Moral Agreement ..read more

Post Adoption Contact Agreements (PACA) can be legally enforceable Effective March 22, 2019 PACA FACT SHEET Post-adoption contact may not be mandated in the final order of adoption. T.C.A. §36-1-121(f) Post adoption contact may be agreed upon by contract between birth parents, adoptive parents and the child (if 14 or older). T.C.A. §36-1-145(a) Moral agreements for post-adoption contact, popular before enforceable contracts were permitted, may still be used provided that they clearly indicate that the PACA is a moral agreement only and not intended to be enforceable.  All written a ..read more

On December 12, 2018, the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services issued the following significant statement regarding ICPC: “After consideration of Article VIII and Regulation 10, the Tennessee ICPC office will no longer be processing ICPC packets for children in full guardianship when the non-agency placement is in Tennessee when full guardianship is ordered.  The Tennessee ICPC office will continue to process ICPC requests for children in partial guardianship or guardianship of an agency.” This is a big change, so let’s unpack it.  The Interstate Compact on the Placement ..read more