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Important Notice

If you are facing an eviction, or have been evicted, please read.

The Tennessee Supreme Court lifted the moratorium on evictions effective June 1.  The Shelby County General Sessions court will be hearing cases effective p/June 15.  On June 15 evictions will start being heard on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Some evictions are covered by the CARES Act, which would mean the landlord could not evict at this time.  If you have received an eviction notice and are unsure about whether you property is one the CARES  Act may apply to, CONTACT MEMPHIS AREA LEGAL SERVICES IMMEDIATELY.

If you have a case set, PLEASE GO TO COURT.  If you do not appear, a default judgment can be entered against you. If you go to court and are unsure about how to proceed, you have the ability to ask the judge for one continuance.  The request has to be made before the hearing actually gets started.

The Tennessee Supreme Court has said it will lift the eviction moratorium on June 1. Shelby County will be resuming in-person hearings on June 15. Cindy Ettingoff, CEO of Memphis Area Legal Services says the 15-day period will give landlords the opportunity to file evictions.

“Between the Supreme Court lifting the moratorium on filing and the court dates opening, that 15-day period means that it’s so much easier to get into the courthouse to file the evictions,” said Ettingoff.

Shelby County has stated eviction hearings will happen on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. With the clerk’s office allowed to take on fifty cases per docket, Ettingoff says 300 eviction cases could happen each day.

Her advice if you have an eviction notice, attend your hearing.
“Go in the courtroom, and you need to ask for that continuance, because you probably need somebody to sift through what’s there, you need to know if you’re covered by the Cares Act or not,” said Ettingoff.

Asking for a continuance will give you a 15-day grace period during which Ettingoff recommends you reach out to Memphis Area Legal Services to help you navigate your next steps.

Memphis Area Legal Services, Inc.
50 years of serving Memphis and the Midsouth

It’s Our 50th Birthday, but Instead, of celebrating with a party, MALS is celebrating by serving our COVID-19 impacted community.

We provide free legal advice and representation for low-income, disabled, and elderly clients in legal crises that threaten self-sufficiency or quality of life. We serve people in Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby and Tipton counties.

COVID-19 Legal Help

COVID-19 has caused unemployment, likely evictions, likely utility cutoffs, increased domestic violence, increased child and elder abuse, and increased consumer fraud especially scams targeting the elderly. MALS  can help.

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