Mechanics Lien Attorney in Tennessee

Mechanics lien work spans pre-claim notice, lien filing, perfection, enforcement actions, and lien-bond and discharge proceedings. On the defense side, the work addresses validity challenges, bond substitution, and litigation strategy when an enforcement action is filed.

Common scenarios include contractors and subcontractors pursuing payment after a project goes sideways, suppliers asserting rights against improved property, and owners or general contractors challenging lien validity to clear the record.

Mechanics lien rights are governed by tight statutory deadlines under Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 66-11-101 et seq. Prime contractors generally have one year after completion or abandonment to enforce a lien. Remote contractors and suppliers generally must serve a notice of nonpayment within 90 days after each unpaid month and bring the enforcement action within 90 days after the notice of lien.

Recorded notice, notice-of-completion, demand-to-enforce, and priority rules can shorten or alter these deadlines. Missing a deadline can permanently extinguish the right to recover, regardless of how much is owed.

Tennessee mechanics lien law distinguishes between prime contractors and subcontractors or remote claimants and applies different notice and timing requirements to each (Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 66-11-106, 66-11-112, 66-11-115, 66-11-145). Lien claims are filed in the register of deeds and enforced through Chancery Court within statutory time periods.

Tennessee mechanics-lien rights divide along a critical line: prime contractors (those with a direct contract with the property owner) have different rights and timelines than remote claimants (subcontractors, suppliers, and others without direct owner contract). Prime contractors generally have one year after completion or abandonment to enforce a lien (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-11-115). Remote claimants generally must serve a notice of nonpayment within 90 days after each unpaid month (Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-11-145) and bring the enforcement action within 90 days after the notice of lien.

Recorded notice, notice-of-completion, and demand-to-enforce procedures can shorten or alter these deadlines. The framework matters because skipping a step in the wrong category — or missing a deadline — can permanently extinguish the right to recover, regardless of the amount owed.

For remote claimants, the typical sequence is: deliver labor or materials; serve a sworn notice of nonpayment within 90 days after each unpaid month, with required statutory content; record a lien within 90 days of last work or last delivery (with separate timing for residential vs. commercial); serve copies as required; and file a lien-enforcement action within 90 days after the notice of lien is recorded (or one year after completion or abandonment, whichever applies).

For prime contractors, the timeline is simpler — file the lien within the statutory window, then bring enforcement within one year of completion or abandonment. Each step has its own statutory requirements; the engagement walks through the specific sequence that applies to your role on the project.

Tennessee allows property owners or general contractors to bond around a recorded lien, transferring the lien from the property to a surety bond. This clears title and lets a property sale or refinance proceed while the underlying claim continues against the bond. Conversely, lien claimants can pursue the bond rather than the property in the enforcement action. The bond procedure has its own statutory requirements and timing; the engagement covers strategic decisions about whether to pursue the property or accept bond substitution.

Statewide advice; trial representation in Sumner, Wilson, Robertson, Trousdale, Williamson, and Davidson Counties.

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