Is Your Former Spouse Unemployed or Under-employed to Avoid Paying Child Support?
The adversarial divorce is over and your former spouse has been ordered to pay child support for the child you have together; however, you believe that they are not making an effort to find a job because they want to avoid paying child support. What can a primary residential parent do when the alternate residential…
Read MoreOn Super Bowl Sunday, Play it Safe and Don’t Drive Drunk
Each year there is a spike in drunk driving accidents and fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday. As the big game approaches, fans are urged to make a plan if they are going to leave their homes to attend a Super Bowl celebration where they will be consuming alcohol. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety…
Read MoreDating During Divorce is Dangerous in Tennessee
Although you might think your marriage is over when you and your spouse decide to divorce, it is not over in the eyes of the law until the final divorce decree has been signed by the judge. A divorce can be an emotionally tumultuous experience, and once you have decided in your mind that you…
Read MoreHow to Avoid a DUI in Tennessee
The winter holiday season which spans between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day is traditionally a time when there are a high number of DUI arrests. It is a time of the year when everyone gathers to celebrate with lots of food and wine and alcohol. Law enforcement is aware of this fact, so it is…
Read MoreCongratulations, Adrian Altshuler, on Being Named to The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100!
All of us are simply thrilled to announce that our firm founder, Adrian H. Altshuler, has been selected for The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 attorneys for the state of Tennessee! The Top 100 list is carefully curated each year to include a select list of lawyers practicing civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense law. The…
Read MoreDrugs, Alcohol & Violence: How to Lose Child Custody and Visitation in Three Easy Steps
When it comes to making decisions about child custody in Tennessee, as in every state in the United States, the best interests of the child is the prevailing consideration. When a couple who have a child is divorcing, the court must decide which parent will be the primary residential parent, and which parent will have…
Read MoreMarijuana Might be Legal in Other States, but Tennessee Still has Tough Penalties against Pot
Marijuana is legal for personal use in some states – but Tennessee is not one of them. Law enforcement in Tennessee takes our drug laws seriously, and drug offenders can face serious penalties if they are convicted of their charges. The Tennessee legislature is making some attempts to pass legislation that would legalize cannabis oil…
Read MoreBalancing Privacy and Protection: Tennessee Law Enforcement’s Use of Body Cameras and Dash Cams
In October of 2014, 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times and killed by a police officer in Chicago. The whole event was captured on the dashboard camera of another police patrol car on the scene. The dash cam footage was not released until November 2015, which is 13 months after the incident. The footage…
Read More“Gray Divorce”: Issues Facing Couples Who Split Later in Life
While the divorce rate among younger age groups has been dropping in the past decade or so, people who are age 50 or older are twice more likely to end their marriages now than they did in years past. Divorces that occur later in life, or “gray” divorce as it is now being called, is…
Read MoreObtaining Police Personnel Files to Support Your Criminal Defense Case
If you have been arrested and charged with a crime, and you observed some form of misconduct on the part of the arresting officer – whether it was the use of excessive force, a violation of your civil rights, or you suspect that they might have planted or tampered with evidence – you may wonder…
Read MoreDivorce and the Rising Cost of College
Paying for college tuition can be a controversial topic. Depending on the child’s age when their parents get a divorce, the question of how parents will cover their child’s college expenses or even if they will help their child pay for their college tuition is an issue that should be included in divorce negotiations regardless…
Read MoreCan You Fight an Ignition Interlock Device Penalty in Tennessee?
An Ignition Interlock Device (IID) is a piece of equipment that contains a breathalyzer. It connects with a vehicle’s ignition system and requires the driver to breathe into it before the car will start. If the driver has more than .02 BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) in their breath, the vehicle will not start. If the…
Read MoreWhat to do When Your Ex Denies Your Visitation Rights
During the divorce process you and your former spouse sat down and ironed out a parenting plan agreement, which contains a schedule for visitation for the parent who did not get primary residential custody. The Court reviews this document and refers to it when it issues the final custody order. The Tennessee Court as with…
Read MoreWhat Happens to My Inheritance in Tennessee Divorce?
You are the favorite nephew of your beloved aunt Thelma, who left you a nice inheritance when she passed away a few months ago. Now you have been served with divorce papers quite out of the blue and you are wondering what happens next. You and your soon-to-be-ex-wife were married when you received the sizable…
Read MoreThe Dangers of Drugged Driving and the Consequences in Tennessee
In the same way that drinking and driving is hazardous, drugged driving, which is getting behind the wheel while under the influence of illicit drugs or prescription drug, puts both the driver, their passengers and the other drivers on the road in danger. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately…
Read MoreUnderstanding Electronic Discovery in Divorce Litigation
We are surrounded by electronic screens in every aspect of our lives these days. Our mobile phones are never out of reach, we stare at computer screens all day and then stare at a television screen in the evening, which is likely to be streaming content from the Internet. Because we use electronic devices constantly,…
Read MoreIncreased DUI Enforcement in Williamson County Through Labor Day
The Tennessee Governor’s Highway Safety Office is coordinating several local jurisdictions including Williamson County to increase DUI patrols through the Labor Day holiday on September 7th. The statewide campaign, “Booze it and Lose it,” is part of a nationwide effort to prevent drunk driving injuries, fatalities and the economic losses associated with drunk driving accidents.…
Read MoreJudge’s Ruling on a Procedural Flaw Could Affect 80 Sullivan County DUI Cases
There has been a glitch in the way DUI cases have been processed in Sullivan County for the past 20 years. Until recently, no one took notice that Rule 3 of the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure were not being followed in Sullivan County, which could lead to the dismissal of at least 100 pending…
Read MoreChanges to Tennessee’s Vehicular Homicide Sentencing in 2015
Tennessee changed its sentencing law on vehicular homicide back in 2015. Vehicular homicide is the “reckless killing of another by the operation of an automobile, airplane, motorboat or other motor vehicle, as the proximate result of: Conduct creating a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to a person; The driver’s intoxication, which includes…
Read MoreReporting Domestic Violence is Worth It
Prosecutors have dropped domestic violence charges against Nashville developer David Chase. Evidence showed that his accuser, Lauren Bull, was not a credible witness, and her accounts of his behavior differed from the observations of other witnesses. This case is statistically normal; most domestic violence charges end up being dismissed. However, prosecutors and advocates of domestic…
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