Termination of Parental Rights Reversed in Athens, Tennessee: In re T.W.
When is the failure to visit one’s child not willful?
Read MoreCategory: Child Support
Podcast #6: K.O. Herston Answers Your Questions
In this episode of the podcast, K.O. Herston answers questions sent in by listeners.
Read MoreLess Than Half of U.S. Parents With Child Custody Receive Full Amount of Child Support
We are a nation of deadbeat parents. How bad is it?
Read MorePrivate School Expenses at Issue in Nashville, Tennessee Child Support Modification: Vance v. Vance
What is required to include private-school tuition in child support in Tennessee?
Read MoreEarly Retirement Is Not Voluntary Unemployment for Child-Support Purposes in Knoxville, Tennessee: In re Ava B.
Don’t want to pay child support in Tennessee? Retire early.
Read MoreSplit Decision Increases Child Support in Memphis, Tennessee: State ex rel. Schrita O. v. Robert T.
Sometimes when you lose, it’s best not to appeal. This case illustrates the point.
Read MoreDefault Judgment Modifying Parenting Schedule and Child Support Reversed In Sparta, TN: Lawson v. Stewart
Facts: When Mother and Father divorced in 2009, Mother was designated the primary residential parent for their child, and Father was awarded 109 days of parenting time. Father’s child-support obligation was determined to be $220 a month. In 2016, Mother petitioned to modify the parenting plan to reduce Father’s parenting time and increase his child-support […]
Read MorePrivate School Tuition Disputed in Chattanooga, Tennessee Child-Support Case: Pua-Vines v. Vines
Facts: Mother and Father are the divorced parents of two daughters. Their parenting plan provides for joint decision-making authority and says: The parties shall each pay one-half (50%) of all private school tuition, school supplies, fees, extracurricular expenses, school trips, sports activities, graduation expenses, and any and all other school or extracurricular expenses incurred on […]
Read MoreA New Strategy for Collecting Child Support: Debt Forgiveness
This article by J.B. Wogan in Governing is interesting. A New Strategy for Collecting Child Support: Debt Forgiveness Officials in Westchester County, N.Y., want to help low-income fathers who are behind in their child support payments. “These guys aren’t deadbeats,” says Kevin McGuire, the county’s social services commissioner. “They’re dead broke.” In a 2006 study […]
Read MoreNo Deviation for Extraordinary Travel Expenses Affirmed in Chattanooga, Tennessee Child-Support Dispute: In re Conner F.
Facts: Mother and Father are the never-married parents of Child. Mother lives in Tennessee. Father lives in Colorado. In a child-custody dispute, the Tennessee trial court designated Mother as the primary residential parent and provided that Father could exercise parenting time with Child in Tennessee. The trial court also established Father’s child-support obligation. Notably, the […]
Read MoreRefusal to Award Child Support Retroactive to Birth Affirmed in Gallatin, TN Paternity Matter: Carr v. Sutton
Facts: Mother gave birth to Child in 1996. No father was listed on the birth certificate. When Child was 17 years old, the State petitioned to establish paternity and require the father to provide health insurance for Child. DNA testing confirmed Father’s paternity a few months before Child’s 18th birthday. An order was entered, but […]
Read MoreTennessee Lacks Jurisdiction in Interstate Child-Support Case: State ex rel. Spurlock v. Torres
Facts: Mother and Father are the divorced parents of four children. They lived in Texas until, according to Father, Mother moved the children to Tennessee in 1998 without his knowledge or consent. He admitted traveling to Tennessee on one occasion in 1999 or 2000 to visit with the children for approximately two hours. Aside from […]
Read MoreRetroactive Child Support to Date of Birth Affirmed in Elizabethtown, TN: Parrish v. Griggs
Facts: Mother and Father had a five-year relationship. By the time it ended, Father lived in Illinois and Mother in Tennessee. Mother got pregnant. After Child was born, Father visited Mother and Child in Tennessee on several occasions. Father also voluntarily paid two child support payments of $400 each. When Child was 14 years old, the […]
Read MoreTennessee Family Law Legislative Update 2017
Hello, friends! It’s that time of year again—time to review how our legislators made Tennessee family law worse than it was this time last year. First, let’s all take a minute to chug a jar of East Tennessee moonshine to prepare ourselves for what’s to come. OK, now that we’re sufficiently numb, let’s get started. Hit us with your best shot, […]
Read MoreChild-Support Issues Raised in Williamson Co., TN: Sansom v. Sansom
Facts: Mother and Father are the divorced parents of Child. This appeal involved several postdivorce disputes, only two of which are noteworthy: the dispute over what constitutes a “day” for child-support purposes, and the trial court’s calculation of Father’s gross income for child-support purposes. Regarding the calculation of parenting time, Father argued the agreed parenting […]
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