Tennessee

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Reason to contact:

A state clearinghouse is an entity (usually law enforcement) that provides help in cases of parental child abduction.  For abductions TO the United States, they can help locate a child.  For abductions FROM the United States, they may serve as a resource to left-behind parents in filing missing person reports.

Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Criminal Intelligence Unit
901 R.S. Gass Blvd.
Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: (615) 744-4000
Fax: (615) 744-4655
https://www.tn.gov/tbi/divisions/criminal-investigation-division.html

Reason to contact:

Contact your local police to file a missing person's report and request that your child's name be entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer database. 

FBI Field Offices

FBI Memphis
Suite 3000, Eagle Crest Bldg.
225 North Humphreys Blvd.
Memphis, TN 38120-2107
Phone: (901) 747-4300
memphis.fbi.gov

FBI Knoxville
1501 Dowell Springs Boulevard
Knoxville, TN 37909
Phone: (865) 544-0751
knoxville.fbi.gov

State Patrol
https://www.tn.gov/safety/tennessee-highway-patrol.html

Department of Public Safety

Department of Transportation

Phone: (615) 741-2848

Port Authorities
Tennessee Valley Authority
Phone: (865) 632-3719

Country-wide resources:
Removing, or attempting to remove, a child from the United States or retaining a child outside of the United States with the intent to obstruct parental rights is a Federal crime under the International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (18 U.S.C. 1204).  The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has jurisdictional authority for investigating Federal crimes.  FBI field offices are located throughout the U.S. and should be contacted if you have questions or believe your child has been or will be abducted outside of the United States.  To locate the FBI field office closest to you, access this link:  http://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field

Reason to contact:

If you know your child is being taken to the airport as part of a possible abduction, contact the airport to request assistance.  You should have copies of all custody and legal documents ready to send by email or fax, if needed.  You can contact the State Department’s Office of Children’s Issues to assist you as you undertake this process at PreventAbduction@state.gov or by calling 888-407-4747. 

Memphis International Airport
Phone: (901) 922-8000
Airport Police: (901) 922-8298
http://www.mscaa.com

Nashville International Airport
Phone: (615) 275-1675
Airport Police: (615) 275-1703
https://flynashville.com/

Reason to contact:

If you are party to an international parental child abduction case in the United States or abroad, a legal aid organization may be able to assist you with your legal representation.  Legal aid organizations provide legal assistance for free or for a reduced charge to eligible individuals.  Eligibility is generally based on income and resource ceilings as well as restrictions on the types of cases they will take. 

For information about legal aid and other legal referral resources, visit

Follow the prompts for the particular state in which you are seeking legal services.

Joel A. Katz Law Library
Tennessee Family/ Divorce Source Guide

Joel A. Katz Law Library - University of Tennessee College of Law (utk.edu)Tennessee General Assembly
http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/

Tennessee Court System
Phone: (615) 741-2687
1-800-448-7970
https://www.tncourts.gov/
Self-Help Center
http://www.tncourts.gov/programs/self-help-center

Tennessee Bar Association
https://www.tba.org/
Phone: (615) 383-7421
Fax: (615) 297-8058
Email: email@tnbar.org

Tennessee Office of the Attorney General and Reporter
http://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/

Locator Service
Child Support Services
Department of Human Services
400 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37248-7400
https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/for-families/child-support-services.html

Compensation Program for Crime Victims
Criminal Injuries Compensation Program
Division of Claims Administration
Andrew Jackson Building, 9th Floor
Nashville, TN 37243-0243
Phone: (615) 741-2734
http://treasury.tn.gov/injury

Non-Profit Organizations
Contact Association of Missing and Exploited Children’s Organizations (AMECO) toll-free at 1-877-263-2620 for a referral

Reason to contact:

The resources below may be a good starting place for determining whether statutes regarding abduction prevention exist in your state.  You may want to consult the website for the Attorney General’s Office of your state or with an attorney licensed to practice law in your state.  (Please note: the resources below may not be current and may change at any time.  They are provided for informational purposes only, and are not intended to consist of legal advice).

Uniform Child Abduction Prevention Act (UCAPA) – Enactment by state

Family Abduction: Prevention and Response (6th Ed)

Last Updated: November 16, 2018