Statewide Comprehensive Legal Needs Survey, 2003 (Full Report)

The Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services (TALS) is a statewide, nonprofit organization that strives to develop partnerships that support “the delivery of effective civil legal services for low-income and elderly Tennesseeans” (TALS, 2003). In cooperation with TALS, The University of Tennessee College of Social Work Office of Research and Public Service (SWORPS) is conducting an assessment of the legal needs of poor and near-poor households1 across Tennessee. This assessment is divided into two phases:

• Phase 1 consists of an analysis of the civil legal needs among poor/near-poor households statewide.
• Phase 2 consists of separate analyses of the civil legal needs among poor/near-poor households as separated into four geographic service areas within the state (West Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, East Tennessee, and Memphis).

This report presents the findings from Phase 1 of the assessment project.