A Conversation with Courtney Teasley

On this episode of Everyday Injustice, attorney and activist Courtney Teasley shares her journey from growing up in East Nashville during the crack epidemic to becoming what she calls a “legal disruptor.” Teasley defines this role as going beyond the bare minimum in the legal system—intervening proactively to prevent unjust outcomes before they are sealed by guilty pleas or convictions.

Her story begins with personal experience. Raised by her grandmother while her mother struggled with addiction and incarceration, Teasley witnessed firsthand how the system punished users as if they were dealers. Watching her mother receive inadequate legal defense sparked her determination to become an attorney who fights differently—challenging the systemic complacency that fuels mass incarceration.

Today, Teasley has expanded her work beyond the courtroom. She coaches lawyers on building independent practices, lectures on legal literacy, and organizes court watch programs. Her book series, The Easy Way to Learn Your Rights, seeks to empower families, churches, and schools to teach communities how to protect themselves against systemic abuse. “Every lawyer is not an advocate, and every advocate is not a lawyer,” she emphasizes, urging people to step into the fight for justice regardless of professional title.

Throughout the conversation, Teasley underscores the urgent need for systemic change. From highlighting the low threshold for probable cause that drives mass incarceration to calling for more transparency in prosecutorial practices, her work reflects a vision of empowerment and accountability. At its core, her message is clear: building justice requires disrupting the status quo and equipping disproportionately affected communities with the knowledge and tools to defend themselves.

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