§ 13-6-106 — Civil action to enforce compliance - Draft order of compliance

(a) An acceptable petitioner may file a petition for a judgment in rem against a subject parcel, naming the subject parcel as the defendant and seeking an order that the subject parcel is a public nuisance and for the abatement of the public nuisance. A proceeding pursuant to this section shall be a proceeding in rem. If the applicable municipal corporation is not the acceptable petitioner, then the applicable municipal corporation shall be put on notice of the in rem proceeding and provided with a full copy of the petition as filed by the acceptable petitioner. If the acceptable petitioner has not attached a certificate of public nuisance to the petition, the municipal corporation shall complete an inspection of the subject parcel within thirty (30) calendar days after the first setting of the matter in court, and the court shall promptly schedule a hearing on the issue of public nuisance. At the conclusion of the hearing on the issue of public nuisance, the court shall determine whether or not the issuance of a certificate of public nuisance is warranted. The court shall dismiss the action if the subject parcel is found not to be a public nuisance by the court. (b) The petition filed pursuant to subsection (a) must include a draft order of compliance setting forth the relief requested as described in this section and shall specifically request the appointment of a receiver if an order of compliance pursuant to subsection (e) is entered and if the owner fails to comply with such order. (c) The filing of a petition for a judgment in rem pursuant to subsection (a) shall: (1) Create a receiver's lien that secures an undetermined amount until the court establishes the amount. The receiver's lien shall be a first lien on the subject parcel, which is superior to all prior and subsequent liens or other encumbrances associated with the subject parcel. The acceptable petitioner shall file for record in the register's office of the county an abstract certified by the clerk, within one (1) day of certification by the clerk, containing the names of the parties to the suit, a statement that petition has been filed pursuant to this section, a description of the subject parcel and its ownership, and a brief statement of the nature and amount of the lien sought to be imposed, all in compliance with § 20-3-101 , which filing shall act as a lien lis pendens against the subject parcel. The outstanding principal amount of the receiver's lien carries interest at a standard statutory rate applicable to judgment liens as provided in § 67-5-2010 ; (2) Act as a bar of any transfer of title of the subject parcel or of any interests pertaining to such subject parcel, including, but not limited to, transfers by foreclosure, transfers or creation of lien interests in the subject parcel, or otherwise, from the date of the filing until the petition is dismissed or until specific orders of the court authorizing a transfer of title, if the petition has attached a certificate of public nuisance issued pursuant to subsection (a); and (3) Authorize the municipal corporation, in its discretion, to access the subject parcel for boarding, securing, and maintaining the subject parcel at any time if it has been determined by the court that the owner has failed to do so. Any costs incurred by the municipal corporation shall be charged to the owner. (d) Notice of a petition for a judgment in rem filed pursuant to subsection (a) shall, at a minimum, be provided to each owner and interested person identified by a thorough title search and examination of the subject parcel, including a search of court records of the county where the subject parcel is located. The petitioner shall file with the court a certification that notice has been provided pursuant to this subsection (d). Notice shall be provided by: (1) Sending a copy of the petition by first-class mail to the last known address of record; (2) Posting a copy of the petition in a conspicuous place on the building; (3) Publication of the petition in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county where the subject parcel is located; and (4) Sending a copy of the petition by first-class mail addressed to "occupant" at the subject parcel. (e) If, after a hearing, the subject parcel is found to be a public nuisance, the court shall issue an order of compliance requiring the owner of the subject parcel to produce a plan for the abatement of the public nuisance. The acceptable petitioner shall file such order in the register's office of the county where the subject parcel is located. The plan must comply with subdivision (h)(1) and must be approved by the court. If the owner has commenced work on the subject parcel prior to, or during the pendency of the action, the owner is required to provide a report of the work that has been completed to date, as well as a plan for the abatement of the public nuisance. Once a plan is approved by the court, the municipal corporation shall provide periodic updates to the court on the owner's progress towards completion of the plan and other relevant information about the subject parcel and surrounding area. Upon a finding by the court that the subject parcel is a public nuisance, the court may award all reasonable attorney's fees and costs to the person filing the petition for a judgment in rem. (f) If the owner fails to comply with the court's order of compliance pursuant to subsection (e), the court may allow an interested person the opportunity to undertake the work to abate the public nuisance pursuant to a plan that complies with subdivision (h)(1) submitted by such interested person. (g) If the actions pursuant to subsections (e) and (f) fail to abate the public nuisance, then the court may appoint a receiver to take possession and control of the subject parcel in order to execute a plan submitted by such receiver that complies with either subdivision (h)(1) or (h)(2). A receiver appointed pursuant to this chapter is not personally liable for actions taken pursuant to the receivership except for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in the performance of the functions of the office. (h) (1) A public nuisance abatement plan, if submitted by an owner, interested party, or proposed receiver, must provide the following in writing: (A) A detailed budget for abating the public nuisance; (B) A projected timeline for abating the public nuisance; (C) If repair and rehabilitation of the subject parcel are found not to be feasible, the cost of demolition of the subject parcel or of the portions of the subject parcel that constitute the public nuisance; and (D) The terms, conditions, and availability of any financing that is necessary to abate the public nuisance or a show of sufficient assets. (2) A stabilization plan, if submitted by a proposed receiver, must provide the following in writing: (A) A detailed budget for stabilizing the subject parcel; (B) A projected timeline for stabilizing the subject parcel; and (C) The terms, conditions, and availability of any financing that is necessary to stabilize the subject parcel or a show of sufficient assets. (i) (1) If the court deems a plan submitted by a receiver to be sufficient and appropriate, the court may empower the receiver to: (A) Take possession and control of the subject parcel; (B) Pay all expenses of operating and conserving the subject parcel, including obtaining property insurance; (C) Pay prereceivership mortgages or installments of such mortgages and other liens; (D) Pay all outstanding municipal fines, penalties, expenditures, and assessments and all amounts attributable to state and local taxes and assessments, including all outstanding amounts secured by delinquent property tax liens; provided, that, within thirty (30) days of being appointed, a receiver is required to fully satisfy all outstanding amounts secured by delinquent property tax liens; and (E) Implement the plan; provided, that, if the plan requires demolition, the court shall order that the demolition be done properly and in compliance with applicable laws. (2) The receiver shall file a report with the court every sixty (60) calendar days and, upon completion of work pursuant to the receiver's approved plan, shall file a final report with the court and move for the establishment of the amount of the receiver's lien. If the court finds that work pursuant to the receiver's approved plan has been completed, then the court must establish the amount of the receiver's lien and put the owner on notice that the owner has thirty (30) days from such finding to satisfy the receiver's lien in full. If the owner satisfies the receiver's lien in full during such time, then the receivership must be terminated by order of the court. An owner or interested party that satisfies a receiver's lien established pursuant to a receiver's completion of a stabilization plan pursuant to subdivision (h)(2) shall submit and complete a public nuisance abatement plan pursuant to subdivision (h)(1). (j) If the receiver's lien is not satisfied by the owner pursuant to subdivision (i)(2), the court shall direct the receiver to offer the subject parcel for sale at auction in accordance with the following: (1) The sales procedure shall follow the procedures provided in §§ 35-5-101 - 35-5-109; (2) The minimum bid at a receiver's auction must be the full amount of the receiver's lien; (3) If the receiver has completed work pursuant to an approved stabilization plan authorized by subdivision (h)(2), then only bidders who have been certified by the court as qualified buyers may bid at the receiver's auction. The terms of the auction must include the requirement of a bond or other security, in an amount fixed by the court, ensuring abatement of the public nuisance within nine (9) months of the date of the closing of the sale to the qualified buyer. If a qualified buyer prevails at such an auction and the qualified buyer's bid is approved by the court, then the receiver's plan pursuant to subdivision (h)(2) must be amended by the court to include supervision of the qualified buyer and reports to the court of the qualified buyer's progress until the abatement of the public nuisance is completed, at which time the receivership must be terminated by order of the court after a hearing on the receiver's motion for termination of the receivership; (4) If there is no bidder at the receiver's auction for greater than the minimum bid, the subject parcel shall be transferred by receiver's deed to the receiver, and there shall be no requirement of cash payment of the minimum bid by the receiver; (5) When the successful bid is paid in cash, the amount of the minimum bid must be paid to satisfy the receiver's lien. Any surplus shall be distributed, as approved by the court, to the owner and interested persons in the priority in which their interests encumbered the subject parcel prior to the auction; and (6) The receiver shall report the prevailing bid at the sale to the court, and upon approval by the court, a receiver's deed shall be issued to the successful bidder and promptly recorded in the office of the register of deeds. Title shall be absolute in the purchaser, and the interests of any interested persons prior to the auction shall be terminated as of the date of the auction. Except as provided in subdivision (j)(3), the receivership shall be terminated after the auction by order of the court after a hearing on receiver's motion for termination of the receivership. (k) (1) Nothing in this chapter limits the powers granted to a court having jurisdiction pursuant to § 13-6-107 . (2) The monetary and other limitations specified in § 16-15-501(d)(1) upon any court with jurisdiction over an action described in subsection (a) do not operate as limitations upon any of the following: (A) Expenditures of a mortgagee, lienholder, other interested person, or receiver that has been selected pursuant to subsection (f) or (g) to undertake the work and to furnish the materials necessary to abate a public nuisance; (B) Any notes issued by a receiver; (C) Any mortgage granted by a receiver; (D) Expenditures in connection with the foreclosure of a mortgage granted by a receiver in accordance with subsection (i); (E) The enforcement of an order of a judge entered pursuant to this chapter; or (F) The actions that may be taken pursuant to this chapter by a receiver or a mortgagee, lienholder, or other interested person that has been selected pursuant to subsection (f) or (g) to undertake the work and to furnish the materials necessary to abate a public nuisance. (3) A judge in a civil action described in subsection (a), or the judge's successor in office, has continuing jurisdiction to review and order correction of the condition of any subject parcel that was determined to be a public nuisance pursuant to this chapter.

Legislative History

Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 18, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 17, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 16, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 15, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 14, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 13, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 12, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 11, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 10, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 9, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 8, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 7, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 6, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 5, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 4, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 796,s 3, eff. 4/23/2024. Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 779, s 3, eff. 4/19/2018. Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 727, s 6, eff. 4/7/2016. Amended by 2014 Tenn. Acts, ch. 835, Secs.s 1, s 3eff. 4/29/2014. Acts 2007 , ch. 452, §2; 2009 , ch. 424, §§3-5; 2011 , ch. 374, §§ 3-5.