Tenn. Code Ann. § 20-3-101: Filing of abstract - Effect of not filing

(a) When any person, in any court of record, by declaration, petition, bill or cross bill, seeks to fix a lien lis pendens on real estate, or any interest in real estate, situated in the county of suit, in furtherance of the setting aside of a fraudulent conveyance, of subjection of property under return of nulla bona, tracing a trust fund, enforcing an equitable vendor's lien, or otherwise, that person shall file for record in the register's office of the county an abstract, certified by the clerk, containing the names of the parties to the suit, a description of the real estate affected, its ownership and a brief statement of the nature and amount of the lien sought to be fixed.

(b) Until the abstract is so filed, so far as concerns the rights of bona fide purchasers and encumbrancers, for value, of the realty, or any interest in the realty, they shall not be affected.

Code 1932, § 8053; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 20-301.