Tennessee Code Title 41. Correctional Institutions and Inmates § 41-21-908

(a)(1) Except as provided in subsection (c), in seeking to secure reimbursement under this part, the attorney general and reporter may use any remedy, interim order, or enforcement procedure allowed by law or court rule, excluding an ex parte restraining order to restrain the inmate or any other person or legal entity in possession or having custody of the estate of the inmate from disposing of certain property, pending a hearing or an order to show cause why the particular property should not be applied to reimburse the state as provided for under this part.

(2) With respect to any lien or similar interest or encumbrance upon real property that is asserted under this section, that lien or similar interest or encumbrance shall be effective only when the party claiming the benefit of it causes a notice thereof to be filed in the office of the register of deeds of the county in which the property lies and that lien or similar interest or encumbrance shall be second to liens of the state, county and municipality for taxes, any lien of the county for special assessments and any valid lien, right or interest in the property duly recorded or duly perfected by filing prior to the filing of the notice. The notice shall identify the owner of record of the real property, contain the property address, describe the property sufficiently to identify it and recite the amount of the obligation secured by the lien.