For years, we have known there is a connection between mental illness and incarceration. As public facilities for treating people with mental illness have closed, patients have been left with few choices. They can treat with private doctors, an expensive option that may not be available to all people, or they rely on community services, [...]
People need to understand what actions constitute domestic abuse. Victims who are abused in any way should seek advice from an experienced family lawyer to understand their rights and to review their options. There are immediate remedies that can require that the abuser stop the contact and remove themselves from the marital home. There are [...]
Drunk driving is a very serious offense in Tennessee. Even first-time offenders face time in jail, license revocation for up to one year, and substantial fines. Anyone who pleads or is found guilty of a DUI will be required to attend a mandatory alcohol counseling program. A conviction also means having to install an interlock [...]
There are many different types of investment properties that earn an income: rental properties, condos, apartments, stocks, and many other types of real and personal property. Some of the investments provide a little extra cash for the owners. Other investments provide a livelihood. Some require extensive management such as making repairs and collecting rents. Other [...]
New, dangerous drugs pop up on the black market all the time, creating significant health risks to users. One of these is a new form of methamphetamine (aka “meth”) which is currently ravaging East Texas. As a result, Texans in possession of drugs, in addition to manufacturers and sellers, are becoming the target of state [...]
One of the great hallmarks of the United States judicial system is the ability to file an appeal after receiving a criminal or civil ruling in court when mistakes or errors occurred during a trial. However, an appeal is not a trial redo. The purpose of an appeal is to demonstrate that the trial court [...]
One of the riskiest behaviors in which a person can participate is getting behind the wheel under the influence of alcohol or drugs. And, the consequences for drivers arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) are serious. If you are facing a DUI charge, is important understand the potential consequences. Tennessee law lays out the [...]
In many ways, parents had a tougher job in many ways throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with many families experiencing increased financial pressures, parents also have to make difficult decisions about handling their child’s schooling. Many states and local school districts are allowing students to return in person full-time. However, others are [...]
Numerous people who have yet to be found guilty of any crime are held in jails across the United States because they are unable to post bail. This factor in our legal system imposes significant costs on not only taxpayers and communities, but those persons who are detained and their families. The system often promotes [...]
If you have reached the point in your marriage that the option of divorce is becoming a real possibility, there are two options you have available in the state of Tennessee: divorce or legal separation. Some couples in this position prefer to enter legal separation instead of pursuing a divorce, although the majority up for [...]
When restaurants were compelled to close their establishments as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of states (including Tennessee) and cities change the rules to permit businesses to sell alcoholic beverages to-go or for delivery. This was done in order to help many restaurants continue to make money in the hopes of survival. [...]
As a stepparent, do you have a strong desire to “make it official,” and formally adopt your stepchildren? There are a number of reasons why a stepparent may want to make the transition to official parenthood. These include: The emotional benefits it provides for the family Enabling the child to take on the last name [...]
Going through a divorce is difficult enough when your spouse is “normal.” (Well, normal for someone you no longer want to spend the rest of your life with.) Divorcing a narcissist is tougher because spouses who put themselves first are much more likely to litigate contested issues instead of trying to resolve them. Narcissistic spouses [...]