2018 Tennessee Code
Title 62 - Professions, Businesses and Trades
Chapter 5 - Funeral Directors and Embalmers
Part 7 - Disposition of Human Remains
§ 62-5-706. No liability of funeral establishment when parties in dispute until court order.
(a) In the event two (2) or more persons hold the right of disposition pursuant to § 62-5-703, and they cannot, by majority vote, make a decision regarding the disposition of the decedent's remains, no funeral establishment is liable for refusing to accept, inter or otherwise dispose of the remains of the decedent or complete the arrangements for the final disposition of the remains until the funeral establishment receives a court order or other written agreement signed by the parties to the dispute that determines the final disposition of the remains. If the funeral establishment retains the remains for final disposition while the parties are in disagreement, the funeral establishment may shelter, refrigerate or embalm the body, or all, in order to preserve the body while awaiting the final decision of the probate court. However, the funeral establishment may not charge for embalming unless expressly agreed to by the parties. Neither this section, nor § 62-5-705, shall be construed to require or to impose a duty upon a funeral establishment to bring an action under this section or § 62-5-705. No funeral establishment or its employees shall be held criminally or civilly liable for choosing not to bring an action under this section or § 62-5-705.
(b)
(1) Except to the degree it may be considered by the court under § 62-5-705(3), the fact that a person has paid or agreed to pay for all or part of the funeral arrangements and final disposition does not give that person a greater right to the right of disposition than the person would otherwise have.
(2) The personal representative of the estate of the decedent does not, by virtue of being the personal representative, have a greater claim to the right of disposition than the person would otherwise have.
