Guardianship is a legal arrangment in which a responsible authorized adult agrees to care for someone who can’t care for him or herself. Guardians are usually used for children who don’t have parents or don’t have capable parents, and for some adult children with special needs. Seniors may also need a guardian. When children need [...]
Tennessee has adopted the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) which sets the minimum standards sex offender must meet for registration and notification. For most convicted sex offenders, the requirement to register as a sex offender is horrific. The registration can be searched by the public. Registration brands defendants, often for life. Registration [...]
Spouses who are considering a divorce or negotiating a divorce need to understand how the recent federal tax law, signed in December 2017, affects their taxes. The main change in the tax law affects the payment and deduction of alimony. The new law also affects how businesses are valued which, in turn, affects the equitable [...]
In Tennessee, if you arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, the Tennessee Department of Safety (DOS) will normally seek to suspend your license. There are two basic reasons the DOS will seek to suspend your license through an administrative process. The first is due to being charged with a DUI. The second is [...]
Going through a divorce during any season is traumatic. It is especially difficult for spouses and children during the holiday season, when so much attention is on spending time with family. During the winter holidays, parents are accustomed to taking family photos, spending time with relatives, sharing the joys of parenthood, reflecting on the past [...]
Child custody cases are among the toughest cases to handle. Asset division and support cases involve accounting for the appropriate assets, income, and debts – and then assigning a value/sum that must be paid. Custody disputes go the heart of relationships. There’s no way to split a child in half. At every level, courts and [...]
Defendants who are charged with most crimes have a right to a preliminary hearing. This hearing takes place after the defendant has been arraigned (entered a plea) and after bail has been set. There are some procedural differences between federal and state preliminary hearings, but the basic strategies criminal defense lawyers use are the same [...]
Adopting a child is one of the sweet joys of life. Unlike most court actions, adoptions are usually not contested although there are some exceptions. Adoptions bring a needy child into the loving arms of a caring couple or person. Tennessee does have numerous requirements which an experienced adoption lawyer can explain. Tennessee adoption law [...]
Driving under the influence doesn’t just apply to vehicles. Anyone who operates a vessel can be charged with an equivalent charge called Boating under the influence (BUI). A vessel includes most types of water vehicles such as motorboats, commercial boats, or any boat that is subject to registration and is used to transport people. Boat [...]
According to an article in Psychology Today, about three million domestic violence cases are reported each year. What’s not often reported is how emotional abuse is often horrible in itself and how emotional abuse is often a strong indicator that physical abuse will follow. Emotional abuse can be hard to recognize for several reasons. Often, [...]
Driving under the influence (DUI) charges can be dismissed before the actual trial begins. Sometimes, the prosecution may dismiss the case on their own because of known defects in their case. Usually, DUI cases are dismissed because of persuasive criminal defense lawyer arguments and motions. Defendants should regularly plead not guilty to DUI charges because [...]
Defendants can be charged with identity theft crimes by the state or by the federal government. Generally, identity theft consists of using someone’s personal identifying information to obtain such financial gain. Common examples include using the information of someone else to gain access to credit cards, bank accounts, and retirement contacts. It also includes using [...]
One of the hardest difficulties for spouses is admitting that your marriage isn’t going to work. It’s especially hard when there are children involved. Most spouses try go the extra mile before deciding that divorce is the right choice. The extra mile usually means reviewing your marital difficulties with family and friends. Sometimes, it means [...]
Often, after physical and legal custody rights have been established by a court order or a permanent parenting plan, one parent seeks to move. Sometimes the move is voluntary. Often, the parent moves because of the offer of a new or better job or due to educational opportunities. A parent may want to move if [...]
Any driver who is stopped on suspicion of driving while intoxicated will likely be asked by the police officer to submit to field sobriety tests. If the driver fails the field tests, the officer will then usually ask the driver to submit to chemical breath or blood tests. There are three standardized tests that officers [...]
For many spouses and children, the love for a family pet is almost as much as the love they have for each other. The loss of a Frodo, Spot, Muffins, or any pet can be a traumatic experience. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, in 2012, more than 43 million households had a family [...]
Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam signed a new law in response to the growing opioid pain medication epidemic. The law became effective July 1, 2018 but isn’t mandated for six months – until January 1, 2019. The new law imposes many new restrictions on doctors who prescribe pain medications and pharmacies that prepare them. The new [...]
A recent report by CNBC revealed that millennials are now often asking their spouses to sign prenuptial agreements. The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) confirms that millennials are marrying later in life. Many have started careers and begun to accumulate assets. To protect their financial interests, they see prenuptial agreements as a remedy. The [...]
The Orlando Sentinel reported that a Florida man has come up with a new excuse for driving while intoxicated – it wasn’t really him driving, it was his dog. Alas, the excuse didn’t pan out and the driver now finds himself in the proverbial doghouse. The man was arrested and charged with driving under the [...]
A recent post in the Bangor Daily News in Maine discussed how business partnership contracts usually focus just on the partners – not their spouses. Under Tennessee divorce law, spouses going through a divorce generally have claims against their spouse/partner’s business interests. This interest can create many problems for the other owners. In some cases, [...]
