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 stay involved with your kids—like every good dad does—all you need to understand are your responsibilities and rights in the state of Tennessee. A competent Franklin divorce lawyer who cares about your family can help you with your case.

Child custody decisions are based on many factors

Having physical or legal custody of your children, whether joint or sole, will be a large part of your divorce proceedings. Negotiating visitation, decision-making rights, and who will be in charge of a child at what times can be some of the most complex and emotionally charged pieces of your divorce.

Fathers can have sole custody and full legal rights to the children. Many times, however, child custody is shared between both parents. The courts decide custody and visitation rights based on many factors, such as:

• The state of any current relationship you have with your child
• Your ability to provide your kids with shelter, education, and medical care
• The degree to which you have been the primary caregiver
• Your mental and physical health
• Your relationship with your ex-spouse
• The importance of continuity for your child, including considerations about how long your child has lived in a satisfactory and stable environment
• The child’s record in the home, at school, and in the community
• The child’s preference, if 12 or older
• Any physical or emotional abuse inflicted by the parents on the child, on the other parent, or on any other person
• The parents’ past and potential handling of parenting responsibilities

If you or your former spouse needs to relocate during or after your divorce proceedings, this can have an adverse effect on your child and their relationship with either parent, their community, and their schooling. Sometimes, fathers have to fight against a parental relocation in order to be able to adequately exercise their visitation rights. A committed Tennessee family lawyer is your best defense against difficult dealings with your former spouse, especially when relocation is involved.

The Law Offices of Adrian H. Altshuler & Associates are dedicated Franklin divorce lawyers who are focused on upholding your rights as a father in your divorce and beyond. We want you to have a family law advocate with years of experience to represent you in your Franklin, Brentwood, or Columbia child custody case. For help now, call us at 615-977-9370 or contact us online.