In order to facilitate the best interests of children, many courts will grant parents joint custody. Joint custody allows parents to share physical and legal custody rights of their children after divorce. This often means that co-parents will likely need to communicate often about important matters, such as who has parenting time with their children each week, how their children should be raised and what obligations each parent is meant to honor. However, joint custody may not be the best option for all parents. If co-parenting is not working, parents have several other options, including par ..read more

Postnuptial agreements are marital contracts drafted and signed by individuals already committed to one another in marriage. Oftentimes, postnuptial agreements address many of the same issues that prenuptial agreements do. That means they are vulnerable to many of the same mistakes that people make when drafting prenuptial agreements. There are certain matters that spouses can address with one another in a postnuptial agreement and other issues that could prove unenforceable or might even invalidate the agreement altogether. Spouses can address the end of a marriage The most common inclusions ..read more

Divorce is sometimes the only way to manage a toxic marriage. This is especially true when dealing with a person with narcissistic personality traits. When co-parenting with a narcissistic ex-spouse, it can be incredibly challenging to maintain a healthy and cooperative relationship for the well-being of the children involved. These tips can help make your co-parenting journey less stressful. Establish clear boundaries Narcissists have an insatiable desire to control and manipulate others, often using tactics such as gaslighting, guilt-tripping, and emotional blackmail. When co-parenting with ..read more

Property division can be a hotly contested issue in a divorce. People can sometimes act in ways that end up costing them in the long run Here are a few errors to avoid: Failing to declare assets  Hiding an asset could lead to your spouse getting a greater share of things. Or perhaps to them getting all the assets you tried to prevent them from getting a share of. The court will be annoyed to discover you being untruthful about your assets and may act to punish you by awarding your spouse. Failing to look at the bigger picture A court will look at the overall picture when dividing property ..read more

One of the main concerns that most spouses have during divorce is how to divide the assets and debts acquired during the marriage. If you do not have a valid and enforceable legal agreement on dividing marital property, like a prenup, state laws will come into play if your marriage is ending. Tennessee courts strive for equitable distribution of marital assets and debts. It doesn’t always mean a 50/50 split. Instead, the court considers several factors with the aim of achieving fairness rather than equality. Some of these factors include: The length of the marriage The age and physical health ..read more

Divorce is a difficult process for any couple, but it can be even more complex for same-sex couples with children in states like Tennessee, where laws haven’t necessarily caught up with societal changes. If this is your current predicament, it can help to familiarize yourself with what the law stipulates to help you navigate this challenging time as effectively as possible. Understanding your legal rights The good news is that the Volunteer State recognizes same-sex marriages for all legal purposes, including divorce. This means that both spouses have the same rights and responsibilities durin ..read more

The summer can certainly be a challenging period for co-parents, especially if it’s the first one after a divorce. When they initially get divorced, they will make a parenting plan and custody arrangement, but they will probably do so based on the school schedule since that’s what the kids use most of the year. During the three months off for summer break, though, other accommodations must be made. As such, the first challenge for many couples is just communication. When the schedule has to change, they have to have a conversation about what alterations are needed and what it will mean for the ..read more

Parents in Tennessee have certain responsibilities under the law. They generally need to cooperate to meet the basic needs of their children. If they divorce or break up, they typically need a plan to share time with their children and to divide responsibility for their support meetings. The Tennessee family courts frequently order one parent to pay child support to the other as a way of ensuring an appropriate standard of living for the children. Child support can make budgeting more challenging for the parent ordered to pay but can also have a major financial impact on the parent receiving p ..read more

When navigating the complexities of crafting a parenting plan during a separation or divorce, addressing extracurricular activities is a good idea. These activities may both be important to kids and good for their development. However, juggling them and paying for them can be tricky endeavors.  Including clear guidelines for extracurricular involvement in parenting plans can help to ensure that children can continue to benefit from these activities without unnecessary stress or conflict between their co-parents.  Setting expectations It’s important to discuss each parent’s expectatio ..read more

Parents typically want to spend as much time with their children as possible and have a lasting impact on their upbringing. Someone denied parental rights and responsibilities after a Tennessee divorce might become estranged from their children. It is therefore of the utmost importance that adults who share children understand their rights under state law as they prepare for divorce or a breakup that requires custody negotiations. Parents in Tennessee often need to share both physical custody and legal custody of their children with one another. What differentiates these two types of custody ..read more