Tennessee Has the 10th Highest Divorce Rate in the Nation

“Until death do us part” is a lovely sentiment, but in today’s world, not a realistic one. More people are getting divorced than they did several decades ago, for myriad reasons—we are living longer, more women are financially independent, and divorce is no longer as taboo as it once was. It is likely you knew…

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New Divorce Forms Available for Tennessee Parents

Divorce inherently comes with any number of complications and issues. Until 2017, parents in Tennessee who had come to the difficult decision to divorce were faced with numerous legal constraints that other couples were not subject to. With the publication of new forms streamlining the process for qualifying parents, divorces in Tennessee can be obtained…

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Divorce Granted to Same-Sex Couple in Controversial Custody Case

When Sabrina and Erica Witt decided to end their marriage, they didn’t expect to become national news. But when protesters and lawmakers tried to intervene in the custody of the couple’s child, conceived through artificial insemination, the simple divorce became much more complicated. Knox County Circuit Court Judge Greg McMillan ultimately changed his ruling to…

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Understanding Father’s Rights in Your Tennessee Divorce

Fathers may feel guilty when seeking a divorce in Tennessee if they have children they want to remain actively involved with raising. It’s important to understand your rights as a father in your divorce, especially because a marital split does not in any way mean you are foregoing your paternity rights. If you want to…

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The 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…

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Parental 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…

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Is 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…

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Lifestyle 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…

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Who 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…

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Common 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…

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After the Fact: Modifying Your Divorce Decree in Tennessee

Once you’ve finalized your divorce in Tennessee, you will have the final order from the court that governs the terms of your separation from your former husband or wife. Crucial to this process is a credible and experienced Columbia divorce attorney that will advocate on your behalf to ensure your divorce decree is the most…

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What is the Best Divorce Advice You Have Ever Heard?

Divorce seems to bring out the wise guru in everyone. There are certain times in life when you are moving through a big life transition when it seems like everyone around you is full of advice. Divorce is one of those times. You may get some good advice, and you may get suggestions that are…

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Who Gets the Dog When People Divorce in Tennessee?

If tears rush to your eyes at the thought of being forced to part with the family pet, you are indeed a pet lover. You will have trouble with the idea of your pet as property that will get divided among the furniture, the jewelry and the vacation house. In Tennessee, the court uses the…

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Pendente Lite Temporary Spousal Support in Tennessee Divorce

Marriage is typically a partnership where each partner does their part to support the other. In some situations, one spouse is the higher earning spouse and they support the receiving spouse who may be maintaining the home and caring for the children. The days of one spouse taking care of the other spouse are quickly…

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5 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…

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