Clarence Carter, commissioner of the Department of Human Services, addressing a Tennessee Senate panel on Jan. 24, 2024. (Photo: John Partipilo)
NASHVILLE — A coalition of law firms and legal organizations, including the Tennessee Justice Center, filed a federal class action lawsuit against the Tennessee Department of Human Services over alleged failures in how it distributesSupplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) benefits.
The lawsuit alleges the Tennessee Department of Human Services, which implements the SNAP program, formerly known as food stamps, failed to issue decisions on applications in a timely manner, had unnecessary delays in its appeal process, failed to restore lost benefits and gave inadequate notice when taking away someone’s benefits.
The Contributor, a Nashville nonprofit and news organization serving people experiencing poverty, is one of the plaintiffs in the suit.
According to the suit, the Contributor had to add a staff member to aid vendors working with the outlet in navigating the SNAP application process because of its complexity. The organization alleges the dedication of resources to the SNAP issues draws them from the nonprofit’s primary mission of finding housing for the unhoused.
Trista Hubbard, one of 11 individual plaintiffs in the case, suffered “negative health effects” after her benefits were terminated without notice, the suit states. A pre-diabetic, Hubbard “was only able to afford cheap, often unhealthy food during the period, exacerbating her ongoing blood sugar issues.”
For years, DHS has been criticized for its handling of the SNAP program. In December 2023, malfunctions with a new computer system and staffing shortage led to thousands of Tennesseans being cut off from benefits.
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the department faced questions about delays in distributing federal funds to aid families who lost food services for their children due to school closures.
Joining the Tennessee Justice as counsel are the law firms of Hogan Lovells, DLA Piper and Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger.
BULL V CARTER – Complaint – 1.9.2025