Petition filed seeking to name McPeak receiver of Hawkins County Memorial Gardens

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            CONTACT: KEVIN WALTERS

NOVEMBER 26, 2014                                                                               (615) 253-8941          

Nashville, TN —  A petition was filed this week by state Attorney General Herbert H. Slatery III seeking to have Department of Commerce and Insurance Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak named as court-appointed receiver of the Hawkins County Memorial Gardens in Rogersville, Tennessee after the conclusion of an investigation into the operation and finances of Hawkins County Memorial Gardens.

The petition was filed in Davidson County Chancery Court in Nashville and seeks to give Commissioner McPeak legal authority to control and manage the operation of the cemetery.

 

McPeak’s appointment would give her the authority under Tenn. Code Ann. 46-1-312 to resolve financial issues faced by Hawkins County Memorial Gardens and possibly rehabilitate the cemetery for future use by the community.

 

“I am the person who is ultimately responsible for enforcing the state’s Cemetery Act,” said McPeak. “I take that responsibility very seriously and will be especially considerate of the families who have loved ones buried at Hawkins County Memorial Gardens.”

 

If given final court approval, McPeak will be able to determine the full extent of the financial obligations of Hawkins County Memorial Gardens and possibly take actions that might generate money to meet the cemetery’s obligations as well as possibly recover assets.

 

Copies of the court filings are available from department.

 

About the Department of Commerce and Insurance: The state Department of Commerce and Insurance is a diverse entity of six divisions charged with protecting the interests of consumers while providing fair, efficient oversight and a level field of competition for a broad array of industries and professionals doing business in Tennessee. Our divisions include the Division of Consumer Affairs, the Division of Insurance, the Division of Securities, the Division of TennCare Oversight, the Division of Fire Prevention and the Division of Regulatory Boards.