Former Client Information
General information about access to Ms. Coppock’s closed case files.
Ms. Coppock does retain some but not all former clients’ case files.
Of the case files retained, all but key documents have been destroyed.
To protect client confidences, any remaining files can only be accessed by Ms. Coppock.
Ms. Coppock is retired and there is no staffed office to respond to inquiries.
Ms. Coppock responds to work inquiries with the urgency of a retired person.
All case files not retrieved by clients will be destroyed upon Ms. Coppock’s death or incapacity, if not sooner.
Only clients or those they have preauthorized can access a case file. Proof of identity will be required. In most files no preauthorization was made. If anyone is preauthorized, it is usually the adopted person.
The documents in Ms. Coppock’s legal files were generally provided by or provided to her clients. Her files are rarely the only source of the documents contained in them. In addition to the client’s records, adoption records are also available from the adoption court and the State of Tennessee, if that is where the adoption occurred. More information on both methods is provided below.
Final Decree copies may be obtained at the clerk’s office where your adoption was finalized. The court can provide a copy of the Final Decree to the adopted person, the adoptive parents or their attorney. Pursuant to T.C.A. 36-1-120(h).
The State of Tennessee also maintains some adoption records of children adopted in Tennessee.
If you are generally seeking access adoption records, see
https://www.tn.gov/dcs/program-areas/adoption/adoption-records.html
for information on who can access and the process.
Department of Children’s Services
Post Adoption Services Unit
UBS Tower, 9th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
Post Adoption Information Line: (615) 532-5637
Email: EI_DCS.PostAdoptionServices@tn.gov
If a former client or the person who the client adopted wants to know if Ms. Coppock maintains a file, and if so, to have the file, email dawn@dawncoppock.com and note “Closed file access request” in the memo line. Also include as much information as is known, including the identity and contact information of the requesting party, date of the case or adoption, the name of Ms. Coppock’s client, the name of the adopted person, any other parties and any other attorneys. The city and state of birth of the adopted person. The court or at least the county where any legal action took place.
Other communications with Ms. Coppock
Ms. Coppock no longer presents seminars or takes press interviews. She has recorded legal seminars online for sale and also wrote Coppock on Tennessee Adoption Law 8th Edition, which is also offered for sale and is in many Tennessee libraries. She hosts a website, www.GoodLawTN.com with a great deal of free information for non-lawyers and lawyers alike that was developed while she was in practice. Much of the adoption law information people seek is available from one of these sources or from practicing adoption lawyers.
If you still need to reach out to Ms. Coppock, send an email to dawn@dawncoppock.com
Email isn’t checked daily, and depending on travel, family plans and needs, sometimes not even weekly. Ms. Coppock isn’t actively on social media. Contacts on those platforms rarely reach her.