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There are many situations that could lead to your parental rights being terminated in Tennessee. Typically, when you lose your rights, you are made aware of what is happening. You are given the chance to stop the termination by the court. Courts do not often remove rights without giving you a chance to prevent it from happening. However, if your rights were terminated and you now wish to reinstate them, it helps to know where the law stands on this.

The National Conference of State Legislatures explains that the termination of parental rights is often meant to be permanent. When you lose your rights, your child is not able to be adopted. This could be by a family member, a stepparent or a stranger, depending on the situation. If your child is adopted, then it will be very difficult for you to get rights back regardless of any possible loopholes in the law. So, do keep that in mind.

In general, though, in this state, you cannot get your rights back. The state has no specific laws that pertain to the reinstatement of your parental rights. There are other states that do have such laws, which can make things easier. Your best option is to go in front of the court and see if there is any chance to get your rights back, especially if your child has not been adopted. However, keep in mind that there is no guarantee the court will give you your rights back. It all is dependent on the situation. This information is for education and is not legal advice.

If you are in Tennessee and have questions about rules regarding termination of parental rights or appeals, call the Law Office of Gregory D. Smith, 931/647-1299 or visit www.gsmithlawfirm.com. Mr. Smith is listed in Mid-South Super Lawyers and is A-V rated by Martindale-Hubbell. You can read a featured article about Mr. Smith in the November, 2019 ABA Journal, (the national magazine of the American Bar Association), athttp://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/tennessee-attorney-greg-smith.