Alcohol and Drug Abuse Can Affect Alimony Payments in Tennessee
Alimony, sometimes called spousal support, is awarded to a spouse by a judge. Unless you and your spouse have worked out a plan in your Marital Dissolution Agreement, the process of awarding alimony is an entirely subjective one: a judge is not forced to award alimony to anyone. However, if you file under certain grounds,…
Read MoreMuseum Employee Arraigned for Theft of More than $60,000
Kathy L. Alexander was arraigned this month for reportedly stealing more than $60,000 from the Tennessee State Museum in 2014. According to The Tennessean, Ms. Alexander has a history of theft, and was actually on parole while she was working for the museum through a staffing company. Because she has been declared indigent, Ms. Alexander…
Read MoreTennessee’s New Anti-DUI Campaign Distracts From Serious Message
Drunk driving is a serious issue, and Tennessee does not take the offense lightly. A first offense carries jail time up to 11 months, penalties up to $1,500, and loss of license for up to a year. The state has spent a significant amount of money raising awareness of this issue, but a recent gaffe…
Read MoreRobbery and Theft Abound In Tennessee
A man was attacked and robbed recently outside of the Donelson-Hermitage YMCA after setting up a meeting with Ronald Payne, 22, and Tyler Austin, 18. The victim got to a phone after the duo punched him in the face and took his cell phone, keys, and wallet, and reported the incident to police. Officers responded…
Read MoreSmuggling Drugs into Jail is a Felony
Eight suspects are facing indictments for smuggling drugs into Wilson County jail before they were scheduled to be incarcerated. According to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office, the suspects knew they were going to serve time, and attempted to smuggle prescription drugs, marijuana and cocaine into the facility. Department spokeswoman Sharon Curstis-Flair said, “In some cases,…
Read MoreWhat are the Real Life Consequences of a Misdemeanor Conviction?
Misdemeanors are commonly considered to be relatively petty crimes with the maximum jail time of 11 months and 29 days and fines of up to $2,500 in Tennessee. Depending on the circumstances, an individual who is arrested for a misdemeanor may not end up serving any jail time at all, but the other consequences of…
Read MoreA Whipped Cream High Can Get You a DUI in Tennessee
According to Franklin police, Anna Thomas, age 28 was charged with DUI after crashing her SUV into a mailbox on Battle Avenue. Ms. Thomas had allegedly inhaled the nitrous oxide from 13 cans of whipped cream to get high and then got behind the wheel at 9:00am on Wednesday, June 3rd. Ms. Thomas had allegedly…
Read MoreSubsidized Permanent Guardianship of a Minor in Tennessee
The foster care system can be a challenging and heartbreaking way for a child to grow up. Every day, young people age out of the system – that is, they grow up to the age of majority and are then left to function on their own without a family to support them, nurture them or…
Read More7 Questions Smart People Must Ask Before Getting a Divorce
When you go into a divorce fully informed about the process and the challenges you might face, you will feel more empowered. Taking the time to learn about how the divorce will affect you financially can help you plan for your future. There are seven questions you should ask yourself and your lawyer before starting…
Read MoreAvoiding the Pitfalls of Drug Charges at Bonnaroo
Bonnaroo 2015 is quickly approaching. The music lineup just gets better and better with each passing year, and the crowd that attends grows along with it. One thing that does not change is law enforcement’s commitment to keeping festival goers safe and in compliance with the law. One thing that has changed is the way…
Read MoreWhat are the Advantages of Collaborative Law?
It seems as if divorce is always associated with a lot of drama – fighting about who cheated, disagreements about money, who will get the children, and who will get the house – even when there is no drama to be found. What if there was a way that you, your attorney, your spouse and…
Read MoreGetting Your Juvenile Record Expunged in Tennessee
The teenage years are a time of rapid physical development, of testing boundaries and re-examining relationships with authority. In this often challenging time of life some kids get themselves into trouble with the law. Parents may have done the best that they could to raise smart, respectful children, but those children are also exposed to…
Read MoreWhy Don’t More Men Get Alimony?
Although matrimonial laws are not gender specific, the general trend is that if spousal support is paid after divorce, it’s a man who pays it and a woman who receives it. But that scenario does not seem to coincide with the trend of more and more women serving as the higher income earner in their…
Read MoreHeading to Bonnaroo? Understanding Drug Charges and Penalties in Tennessee
Preparations for Bonnaroo are in full swing. Soon, festival attendees from the local area and from all over the country will soon be descending on tiny Manchester, Tennessee to have four rocking days of fun in the summer sun, enjoying the best musical acts and all that the four-day entertainment extravaganza has to offer. Unfortunately,…
Read MoreThe Supreme Court Will Hear Same-Sex Marriage Arguments on April 28
Tennessee has had a ban on same-sex marriage since 1996, and voters approved a constitutional ban in 2006 – but the future of this ban might be in question. On April 28th, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear 2.5 hours of arguments on same-sex marriage in four cases from Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and Tennessee. The…
Read MoreWhat are the Consequences of a Domestic Violence Conviction?
Domestic violence can take many forms. Behind closed doors at home, sometimes violence erupts from pent-up hurt feelings and hurtful words. Other times it’s a case of one person using physical strength to control a partner through fear and intimidation. Or maybe one partner is looking to get the upper hand over the other in…
Read MoreWhat are the Penalties for Underage DWI in Tennessee?
When an individual who is under the age of 21 is pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving he/she may be charged with Underage Driving While Impaired (Underage DWI). Since it is illegal for anyone who is under age 21 to purchase or drink alcohol, driving drunk is against the law for minors. A minor…
Read MorePunishments for Repeat DUI Offenders in Tennessee
Getting caught driving drunk is a serious offense, which you already know because you have been through this already if this is your second offense. According to NHTSA studies, a person with a prior DUI conviction has 4.1 times the risk of being involved in a fatal vehicle accident. Another study reported that the chances…
Read MoreArrested at Bonnaroo? Here’s what to Do Next
It’s no secret that a few of the more than 90,000 fans that attend Bonnaroo, the legendary music and arts festival in Manchester, TN each year will use drugs or get drunk while having fun at the show. The four-day festival attracts performers that are well known along with more up-and-coming acts who perform in…
Read MoreNew Bill Seeks to Eliminate Loopholes in “Cooling Off” Period
The Tennessee House Criminal Justice subcommittee is looking to create a new bill that would close any loopholes in the mandatory “cooling off” period for those charged with domestic violence. Sponsored by Representative William Lamberth (R-Cottontown) and Senator Steven Dickerson (R-Nashville) the amendment would eliminate a judge’s right to waive the mandatory 12 hour jail…
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