Uncontested Divorce in Tennessee ā€“ Is it Really Possible?

Yes, it is possible to get an uncontested divorce in Tennessee. An agreed, or uncontested divorce, is a lower-cost, lower-drama option for those couples who have come to a mutual understanding that their marriage is beyond repair. If you and your spouse do not have children together who are under the age of 18, if…

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What Is Supported with Child Support?

If you and your spouse are planning to divorce and you have children under 18, one of you is probably going to have to pay child support. But many people donā€™t actually know what child support is for. The primary purpose of child support is to provide enough money to ensure that your child will…

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The Fate of Sonya Hodgins and her Adoption Controversy

As family law attorneys, weā€™ve been paying close attention to the Clarksville case involving a young girl who was taken from her adoptive parentsā€™ home and sent to Nebraska to live with her birth father. The story centers on Sonya Hodgins, age nine, and her father John McCaul. For those of you who donā€™t follow…

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The Importance of Pre-Nuptial Agreements

Getting married is exciting! You may be dreaming about your upcoming festivities, or planning your new life with children (or without them), feeling as happy as can be. So we completely understand why discussing a pre-nuptial agreement with your main squeeze might seem a bit uncomfortable. The truth is, a pre-nup is an excellent way…

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Congratulations, Rachel Sharp!

We are so incredibly proud to announce that our own Rachel Deanna Sharp has just been named a 2014 recipient of Super Lawyersā€™ 2014 Rising Star award! Because the Super Lawyers selection process involves peer nominations Ā­ā€“ and because only 2.5% of nominated attorneys can be named a Rising Star ā€“ weā€™re even more thrilled…

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My Spouse Lost His/Her Job; Can I still Get Alimony?

In the words of televisionā€™s Sophia Petrillo, ā€œPicture it:ā€ Tennessee, 1984. You marry your sweetheart and the two of you decide that youā€™ll stay home and raise the children, while he goes to work. Now itā€™s thirty years later and heā€™s lost his job, and suddenly heā€™s fighting you over his alimony payments. Sound familiar?…

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Exceptions During Divorce Proceedings: Protecting Your Assets

When you get divorced in Tennessee, your judge will split your assets equitably. Now, that doesnā€™t necessarily mean 50/50, though sometimes it works out like that. An equitable distribution is based on what the judge thinks it fair for each spouse under the specific circumstances of your case. So, for example, if you keep the…

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Support Issues 101: Getting Your Spouse to Pay Up

Weā€™ve been practicing family law in Tennessee a long time, and weā€™ve seen some pretty heart-breaking scenarios. But when your former spouse refuses to pay alimony ā€“ or even worse, child support ā€“ it can hurt a lot more than your heart. Ensuring that your former spouse follows the mandated divorce decree can be complicated,…

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