TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Mar 18, 2025

The Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) on behalf of the Tennessee Supreme Court has proposed a new structure for handling the appointment of attorneys in indigent cases. One question that has been raised is why the AOC chose to propose a new system rather than work to raise the hourly rate of compensation. In a recent interview with TBA President Ed Lanquist Jr., AOC staff explained they were encouraged to look at different approaches and be experimental, proactive and forward thinking. In addition to increasing compensation, the proposed plan also is designed to increase the number of attorneys willing to take cases and get those attorneys paid quicker and on a more regular basis. The AOC staff also noted that several states that have raised their hourly rates — in one case, double of what Tennessee pays — still struggle to find enough lawyers to take cases. As part of this plan, the AOC is asking for an additional $17 million in recurring funding, which will allow it to build out the new system and increase compensation — a win for lawyers and the judicial system. Watch the full interview or learn more about the plan and indigent representation in Tennessee.