(a) If the petition is not dismissed upon preliminary consideration, the court shall enter a preliminary order.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 40-30-107

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Pleadings: Written statements of the parties in a civil case of their positions. In the federal courts, the principal pleadings are the complaint and the answer.
  • Pro se: A Latin term meaning "on one's own behalf"; in courts, it refers to persons who present their own cases without lawyers.
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) In all cases, the preliminary order shall direct the following:

(1) If a petitioner not represented by counsel requests counsel and the court is satisfied that the petitioner is indigent as defined in § 40-14-201, the court shall appoint counsel to represent the petitioner.
(2) If counsel is appointed or retained, or the petitioner is proceeding pro se, counsel or the petitioner if proceeding pro se must file an amended petition or a written notice that no amendment will be filed. The amended petition or notice shall be filed within thirty (30) days of the entry of the preliminary order, unless extended for good cause. The written notice, if filed by counsel, shall state that counsel has consulted the petitioner and that the petitioner agrees there is no need to amend the petition. Good cause will not be met by a routine statement that the press of other business prevents the filing of the appropriate pleadings within the designated time.