Posts by Adrian Altshuler
Guardianship vs. Adoption: Which One Is Right For You?
Making a decision about the caretaking of a child can be one of the most rewarding yet difficult undertakings. If you are charged with the care of a child, you have serious decisions to make that will affect this young life for years to come. You will have to decide whether guardianship or adoption is…
Read MoreThe Benefits of Establishing Paternity in Tennessee
Establishing paternity doesn’t always mean that you are the biological father of a child. Paternity, as a term, does mean fatherhood; but in the family law of Tennessee’s legal sense, establishing paternity is actually the act of determining a child’s “legal” father. Fathers, whether they are biological parents or not, have both rights and obligations…
Read MoreDUI by Consent in Tennessee a Risk for Vehicle Owners
You don’t have to be driving under the influence to be arrested for your first, second, or third DUI in Tennessee. If you’ve let someone drive your vehicle who is knowingly intoxicated, state law provides for charging car owners with a DUI by consent (also called DUI by proxy). Most of the time, DUI by…
Read MoreParental Kidnapping and Family Law in Tennessee
This past May, a woman from Memphis temporarily lost custody of her young toddler son during a difficult divorce. In June, the woman was arrested in Michigan for kidnapping. But it gets worse. When she was found in a Dearborn, Michigan hotel room, not only was her son kidnapped, but so was the boy’s 30-year-old…
Read More700 Pounds of Marijuana Seized in Dickson Country Traffic Stop
It is common knowledge that marijuana is illegal in Tennessee, as well as a federally prohibited Schedule I substance. It’s also well known that many Tennesseans smoke or grow marijuana, and that this doesn’t necessarily make them hardened criminals. Decriminalization efforts in Nashville and Memphis have been getting traction since late last year, but the…
Read MoreIs Your Former Spouse Padding Their Expenses to Get Higher Alimony?
Divorce is a difficult time emotionally and can also be financially complex. When one spouse is ordered to pay the divorcing spouse alimony, financial documents and evidence must be prepared, and expenses are considered by the court. When expenses reported are disingenuous however, it presents a problem under Tennessee law, as well as for the…
Read MoreTennessee Prosecutors Suing Drug Companies Over Opioid Epidemic
As reported by USA Today, three Tennessee prosecutors filed a suit this week against drug makers in an attempt to highlight the opioid epidemic that is ravaging the state. The district attorney generals for three east Tennessee judicial districts, that together represent nine counties in our great state, filed their lawsuit in the Sullivan County…
Read MoreDo Grandparents Have Visitation Rights in Tennessee?
Families can be complicated and, often, parents are not the sole caregivers to their children. Grandparents often have a special relationship with their grandchildren and, in many cases, might function as a parent or legal guardian to a child for some or most of their lives. In Tennessee, there are three specific statutes of family…
Read MoreDon’t Get a Day-After-DUI in Tennessee
When you’ve been drinking, you know it’s unsafe and not smart to get behind the wheel. Most people who imbibe know they should never drive after alcohol-related festivities. To be sure, many law abiding Tennesseans have done their best during a night of drinking: they have enlisted a designated driver, or decided to stay in…
Read MoreLifestyle Analysis as a Tennessee Alimony Strategy
When you are going through a divorce in Tennessee, spousal support or alimony is sure to be part of the proceedings. It is common for lawyers to cite spouses’ need and ability to pay alimony as critical reasons and components for mandating it in a divorce. When you are trying to establish a reason for…
Read MoreWho Pays an Attorney’s Fees in Tennessee Divorce?
When you and your spouse are seeking a divorce in Tennessee, you may be worried that it will be prohibitively expensive. Realistically, some couples can seek a frugal divorce, but there must not be much legally contested property, complicated child custody battles, or other adversarial actions. The average divorce in Tennessee costs $12,600, with almost…
Read MoreTennessee DUIs and Mandatory Blood Draws
In June of last year, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that mandatory warrantless blood draws at DUI stops are unconstitutional and too intrusive. Although police can still mandate onsite breathalyzers without a warrant, warrantless searches are generally only intended for extraordinary circumstances. Blood draws at DUI stops do not fall under this…
Read MoreCommon Reasons for Contested Divorce in Tennessee
Divorce can be the hardest thing you’ll ever go through, or a blessing in disguise. Some divorces are completely amicable, with each spouse going their own way, able to co-parent and enjoy their life after marriage. Others, however, can be more difficult. When two spouses cannot arrive at a consensus, during mediation or otherwise, about…
Read MoreBusted at Bonnaroo? Better Call a Lawyer
Great music, great people, and good times—that’s what Bonnaroo is known for nationwide. People flock to Coffee County and Middle Tennessee each year to enjoy themselves and experience one of the country’s premier music festivals. In recent years, however, Bonnaroo’s patrons have been under increasing scrutiny from law enforcement officials looking to make quick arrests…
Read MorePrenuptial Agreements in Tennessee: Smart Idea, or Unnecessary Paperwork?
Prenuptial or antenuptial agreements are quite common in marriages and are, at their core, a negotiated document signed by both members of a couple prior to marriage. These documents typically lay out ownership of property, monies, and assets. In Tennessee, these agreements are binding in court. Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-3-501, the law stipulates…
Read MoreAre Tennessee Field Sobriety Tests Reliable?
No one likes to see flashing lights in their rearview mirror when driving on the highway. And if you’ve been speeding, or have disobeyed some traffic law, you can feel even worse. But what happens when an officer asks if you’ve been drinking? It can be alarming to hear the words, “Step out of the…
Read MoreCoffee County & Middle Tennessee Courts: What to Expect After Arrest at Bonnaroo
If you are planning to enjoy the infamous music festival of Bonnaroo this June, you’ll be traveling through Middle Tennessee and Coffee County. If you’re planning to enjoy Bonnaroo with substance use or under the influence of alcohol, however, you might be in for a bad time with the Coffee County police. If you find…
Read MoreWhat Your Third DUI Means in Tennessee
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Tennessee can mean complicated legal battles, negotiation with authorities, and even some mandatory punishments. If you’ve had previous DUIs, you know there are associated fines, other penalties, and mandatory jail time (the length of which can depend on your blood alcohol content at the time of arrest). DUI offenses…
Read MoreSubstance Abuse & Your Kids: Child Custody Options in Tennessee
If you are the non-custodial parent in a Tennessee divorce case, you do have rights when it comes to the welfare of your kids. At the outset of your divorce, Tennessee Code Annotated Section 36-6-106 governs which parents will play what role. A parenting plan written and agreed to in good faith should be established…
Read MoreParty’s Over: First Steps After a Misdemeanor Charge at Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo is one of the country’s most beloved music festivals, and it’s a great economic boom for Middle Tennessee. Year after year, Columbia criminal defense lawyers are retained as counsel for festivalgoers that receive various criminal charges at, around, or near Bonnaroo. As with most large-scale music festivals, the most common criminal charge by far…
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