Family Law

One of the challenges of a long-term relationship or marriage is recognizing whether you’re taking your partner for granted. A recent article in The Atlantic discusses the issue of “habituation,” which is the technical term for the diminished response to a person’s actions over time, and how it can contribute to problems within a marriage.…

Divorce can be exceptionally difficult when children are involved. Getting through the divorce process itself is an emotional roller coaster, but it gets harder when you have kids. There are several things that will need to be addressed during the divorce process, including child support, a visitation schedule, and custody arrangements. The initial agreements can…

Being told by the court that you can only see your child so many hours per month is upsetting for many parents. Whether you are the mother or the father, you can take steps to secure more parenting time with your children. The most important thing to remember is that you should always be polite…

Medical kidnapping is a real issue that plagues families across the country. The police knock on your door and remove your child from your care because a doctor, hospital, or other medical professional reported you to Child Protective Services. Can the police actually take your child for failing to provide recommended medical care? The short…

When you share kids but don’t live together, creating a parenting plan can be a difficult task, especially when those kids are young, or you have longer holiday vacations to divvy up. Because older children more easily understand what’s happening, even if they don’t enjoy the situation, you at least avoid trying to explain a…

Divorce is almost never easy, no matter how much we wish it were. It can be even trickier when the separation is less-than-amicable, especially when your children are involved. Now you have divorce AND custody to worry about, never mind all the emotional work of parenting through this difficult time. What if your soon-to-be ex…

After that final divorce decree is signed and filed, both parties have the closure they need to move on with their lives. Some people want to start dating right away, some don’t want to date at all, and some aren’t sure when the time is right. All of these are valid choices, but if you…

It’s frustrating. We know. You work hard to work out a resolution of your divorce issues, including who will have the marital home so the children have a place to live. You spend a lot of time and love crafting a parenting plan that will provide the best future for your children. And then your…

The general rule in Tennessee is that the duty to support your child ends when your child turns 18 years old. Once they reach 18, they’re on their own. The amount of the support order is initially determined by the state guidelines. The guidelines establish the presumption for how much money the parent required to…

Of all the acts of love, almost nothing is better than adoption. A family becomes whole through adoption, and it is AWESOME. It can also be a little overwhelming, because there are a lot of hoops to jump through before your family can grow. If you’re thinking about adopting, and you’re a little nervous about…