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Recognizing the Rights of Biological Fathers in Adoption
When an unmarried woman gives birth to a child and then she wants to place that child for adoption, she has a legal obligation to obtain consent from the child’s other biological parent before doing so. Unmarried fathers have legal rights which, by law, must be recognized and taken into consideration before allowing the child…
Read More5 Benefits of Divorce Mediation in Tennessee
As we have said so many times, divorce is basically the breaking of a contract. If there were a way to separate the high level of emotion that the divorce transaction stirs up, it would probably be a faster, easier process to work through. But divorce is not just about breaking a contract. Marriage represents…
Read MoreCriminal Justice Reform in Tennessee: New Laws Mean Changes for Violation of Parole Penalties
In July 2016, the Public Safety Act of 2016 went into effect as a part of the state’s effort to reduce crime and improve public safety. One of the major changes brought about by the new law is in the way violations of parole will be addressed. Of the 12,588 people who entered the state…
Read MoreChild support Enforcement in Tennessee: Liens for Child Support Arrears
There are many ways in which the payment of child support can be enforced, and federal law has created some uniform guidelines for enforcing child support payments. Tennessee’s statutes for child support enforcement can be found here: T.C.A. § 36-5-901, and the Department of Human Services (DHS) is the state agency that is responsible for…
Read MoreCreepy Clowns Causing Fear and Paranoia as Halloween Approaches
Clown sightings are being reported in several places from the mid-Atlantic to the Southern United States. People are getting “creeped out” about it, and local police do not find it funny. Antioch and Glencliff high schools were placed in lock down in September after a reported clown threat. Four people were cited in Portland after…
Read MoreCo-Parenting Amid the Chaos: Navigating Life and Kids’ Schedules with Grace
Your divorce may have ended your marriage, but it did not end your relationship with your former spouse if you have young children together. The nature of your relationship will change, of course because now you are only partners in parenting your children. Family courts use the, “best interests of the child” rule to guide…
Read MoreCriminal Citation in Lieu of Arrest in Tennessee—Yes it is a Big Deal
If you have been accused of a misdemeanor criminal offense in Tennessee, the law enforcement officer has the latitude to issue you a citation in lieu of arrest, rather than hauling you off to jail. Do not make the mistake of thinking that it is not a big deal because you did not get arrested.…
Read MoreJudicial Diversions and Criminal Record Expungement in Tennessee
You made a mistake and you have learned your lesson. The thought of going to jail and having a criminal record is going to ruin all of the dreams and plans that you have for your life. You know that you made an error in judgement, and now you wish there was a way that…
Read MoreShared Parenting in Tennessee Child Custody Cases
Family law evolves and changes as families in the United States evolve and change – albeit at a much slower pace. In the past, judges leaned more toward granting sole custody of the child to the mother and visitation to the father. As times change and the way families are structured with regard to…
Read MoreHaving a Conversation with Your Child’s Teacher about Your Divorce
Telling your child’s teacher that you are going through a divorce might not be high on your list of priorities, but it should be. Whatever happens in your home has an impact on your child. If your family is going through a rough patch, your child may display behavior at school that is inconsistent with…
Read MoreHow Might the New DUI Laws in Tennessee Affect You?
In the summer of 2016 (July 1, 2016, to be exact) there were four new DUI laws that took effect in Tennessee. One of those laws, which was intended to change the age group to which the offense of underage driving while impaired from ages 16-21-years-old, to ages 16-18-years old, and it was to give…
Read MoreGifts and Asset Division in Divorce—It’s Complicated
Depending on how long a couple has been married, they will likely accumulate various different kinds of property during the marriage. From homes and cars to boats and vacation properties, jewelry and investments. Property and assets that the couple acquires after the wedding and to which they are joint owners is marital property. Marital property…
Read MoreTips for Avoiding a DUI & Staying Safe on Labor Day
At several different times during a year, Tennessee law enforcement conducts sobriety checkpoints in an effort to deter drunk drivers from endangering themselves and others by driving drunk. With Labor Day approaching, there will be parties and barbeques and sporting events celebrating the last official weekend of summer. People will be serving and drinking alcohol…
Read MoreHow to Prepare for Divorce
Couples who marry today have a roughly 40 to 50 percent chance of getting divorced, (for first marriages) so while divorce seems like something that happens to other people, many who are married may face it at some point. While going through a divorce is usually more traumatic than you think it will be and…
Read MoreCan I Be Arrested for a DUI after Passing the Field Sobriety Test?
You are driving along I-65 late on a Friday evening. You might have had a beer or two while you watched the game, but you are by no means drunk, or so you believe. The next thing you know, you see those flashing blue lights and hear the chirp of a police cruiser pulling you…
Read More5 Difficult Things to Accept about Divorce
There will come a time when divorce gets real for you and things might be a bit more challenging than you had bargained for. Divorce can be adversarial and it will bring out aspects of your spouse’s character that you may not have seen before. When you agree to divorce and you set off on…
Read MoreWhat is the Process for Getting a Restricted License after a DUI in Tennessee?
If you have been convicted of DUI in Tennessee, one of the penalties is that you can lose your driving privileges for one year. That means that you would be unable to drive your car to get back and forth to work, to school if you are a college student, to the doctor’s office and…
Read MoreWhat are the Consequences of a Domestic Violence Conviction in Tennessee?
Domestic violence is a serious issue in Tennessee with significant consequences. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), 43 Tennesseans were murdered by intimate partners in 2014. Firearms were involved in 75 percent of these homicides. Tennessee law enforcement received 74,023 reports of domestic violence crimes, but many also went unreported. There were…
Read More7 Tips for a Better Tennessee Divorce
Adversarial, chaotic divorces are the stuff of legend these days. The sacred contract between two people is also a civil contract, which could be ended in a business-like manner, but that is rarely what happens. People’s emotions tend to rule the day in divorce unless the two decide to try a different approach. There are…
Read More7 Mishaps to Avoid When Dealing with Custody Matters
Child custody disputes where neither side is willing to give an inch, and the child is caught in the middle are almost always counter-productive and the child ends up losing the most. When a contentious divorce includes a custody battle, it can have far-reaching, negative implications for all concerned. If you think that you would…
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