Family Law
Blended Family Estate Planning
Due to the fact that the divorce rate in the United States exceeds 50 percent, second marriages are very common. If you are remarried with children, you know that blending families together can be rewarding, but you also know that many complications can ensue. In fact, with the rate of divorce in second marriages coming…
Read MoreDating Post-Divorce
If you’ve been through a rough divorce and are looking to “get back out there,” so to speak, you may be wondering how long you should wait before you start dating again. While there is no right answer, if you have children, it’s important that you take it slow and easy. Many children of divorce…
Read MoreProtecting College Funds From Divorce
Many parents have college funds set up for their children where they contribute money each month to head off the overwhelming costs of college when the day comes. But you may wonder what happens to a college fund upon divorce. Can your spouse cash out your child’s plan early without your consent? College savings plans…
Read MoreQDROs: What You Need to Know
In many marriages, the retirement accounts that the spouses own are some of the largest financial assets in their portfolio. When the couple divorces, numerous questions arise as to how to equitably split up the retirement accounts and, in fact, whether it can be done at all. The answer is that the retirement accounts can…
Read MoreDoes Tennessee Examine Religious Preferences in Determining Child Custody?
When couples divorce, it is often due to the normal sources of conflict — money, child rearing, politics, and religion. If you and your spouse disagree over your children’s religious upbringing, a whole host of conflict can erupt. But can a court take religious preferences into account when determining custody? According to a recent article…
Read MoreYou Are Entitled To Temporary Support During Your Divorce
You’ve made the difficult decision to divorce, but suddenly the reality of the situation hits you — how will I pay my bills for the next several months? Don’t worry because in Tennessee, you are entitled to temporary support payments during the pendency of your divorce. We all know that a court case can take…
Read MorePaternity in Tennessee
Establishing paternity, or identifying the legal father of a child, is very important to all parties involved: the child, the father, and the mother. It can give rights and benefits to all of them. From the father’s point of view, establishing paternity allows him to participate in his child’s life and obtain visitation or custody…
Read MoreBuying The House Before The Ring
You may have heard the old adage: first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Mary with a baby carriage. And, after marriage, comes the house — that’s the order everyone is used to. According to a recent study by Coldwell Banker, the order of old has been upended. Many couples in serious relationships now…
Read MoreToughing Out the Transition During and After Divorce
While the legal process involved in a divorce can be lengthy and stressful, the effects of divorce away from the settlement table can be even worse. After filing for divorce, you may mourn the loss of a spouse and companion as you struggle to adapt to a new lifestyle. After the final divorce decree is…
Read MoreThat’s Mine! Division of Assets During Divorce
One of the greatest sources of conflict in a divorce is the division of assets between spouses. In Tennessee, courts are concerned with the equitable distribution of property in a divorce. As such, property is divided equitably between spouses according to factors in the Tennessee Code. Equitable division does not necessarily mean that every marital…
Read MoreKnowing Your Options: Legal Separation vs. Divorce
In Tennessee, couples have two options: divorce or legal separation. Which option is best? The decision between divorce and legal separation depends on your personal situation. In a divorce, all marital rights are terminated. A divorce is only declared on grounds or irreconcilable differences (known as no-fault divorce). There are many grounds available including: Abandonment…
Read MoreWho Gets Rover?
John and Jane Doe have decided to amicably split up. They have simply grown apart, have no children, and thought their divorce would be easy. They both failed to consider, however, their spouse’s undying love for their dog, Rover. Pet custody is one of the hottest topics in divorce law, and disputes over pets have…
Read MoreWhat Rights Do Tennessee Grandparents Have To Visit Their Grandchildren?
Although parents usually get to control who has access to their children, under Tennessee law, judges may grant grandparents visitation rights if certain circumstances exist and certain findings are made. At least one of the following circumstances must exist for a judge to consider granting visitation rights: The father or mother of grandchild has died…
Read MoreWhat Rights Do Fathers Have in Tennessee?
As a father, you have a right to remain in the life of your child. Numerous laws exist to protect the rights of fathers in Tennessee, as in many other states. These rights spring into existence in Tennessee when a child is born and can only be taken away from a father by a court…
Read MoreA Little Tennessee Nail Salon Called Alimonys
Pretty much everyone in Knoxville is familiar with the University of Tennessee’s former basketball coach Bruce Pearl’s ex-wife opening up a nail salon called “Alimonys” after their divorce. And rightly so, because when a couple is divorcing, the big “A” word is on everyone’s mind. Alimony — how much will I get? How much will…
Read MoreThe Best of Tennessee? Elvis, Moon Pies and Progressive Child Custody Laws
Tennessee has the best of a lot of things — Elvis, country music, college football, the Great Smoky Mountains, Jack Daniels, Moon Pies, and progressive child custody laws. During a divorce, one of the most agonizing decisions to be made is what to do about the children. When it comes to determining child custody in…
Read MoreWhy Divorce Mediation May Work For You
When you’re considering getting a divorce in Tennessee, you may be surprised to discover that divorce mediation is required in most instances. But is divorce mediation right for you? Anyone who has gotten a divorce can tell you that they can be expensive and time-consuming; however, divorce mediation can lessen those impacts. Divorce mediation is…
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