Class Action Filed Against DCS

by Dawn Coppock | Aug 3, 2025 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents, Legislation, News Events

On May 19, 2025, a class action on behalf of 13 Tennessee foster children was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee against the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, alleging significant systemic failures,...

DAWN COPPOCK is retiring from the practice of law.

by Dawn Coppock | Mar 3, 2025 | Attorneys & Courts, General, News Events, Seminars

I know I just said I wasn’t retiring, and that was true when I said it. Now it isn’t. I started declining new cases today. By April 7, 2025 I will be retired, except for a few outstanding cases and on-demand seminar production. I had expected to retire near my husband...

A Foster Child’s Relationship to Foster Parents Acquires More Legal Significance As Time Passes

by Dawn Coppock | May 13, 2024 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents

At 6 months, the foster child’s relationship with foster parents becomes a “significant relationship,” so it has weight when compared with other nonparental, pre-removal relationships. At 9 months, the foster parents don’t just get notice of hearings regarding the...

Adoption Assistance for Drug-Exposed Infants

by Dawn Coppock | Apr 4, 2024 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents

Adoption assistance is a program to assist adoptive families of special needs children. The program is state-administered with the majority of funding from the federal government and a state contribution as well. The benefits are usually a monthly stipend and health...

Finalization – Six Months or Three Months?

by Dawn Coppock | Mar 26, 2024 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, Foster Parents, General, Legislation

Question: I understand that the waiting period for adoption, the time the child must live with the prospective adoptive family before the adoption can be finalized, has been reduced from 6 months to 3 months, correct? Answer: Not exactly. The waiting period is still 6...

Of course, you can adopt an adult in Tennessee!

by Dawn Coppock | Aug 16, 2023 | Adoption, Attorneys & Courts, News Events

This is not a debated or murky point of Tennessee law. You just can. I do 2 or 3 adult adoptions a year and I have for decades.  See Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-1-117(j).  (1) When the person sought to be adopted is eighteen (18) years of age or older, only the...