Legal Analysis and Commentary
Facts: Mother and Father are the divorced parents of two children. The agreed parenting plan designates Mother as the primary residential parent. Father has 156 days of parenting time. One year after the divorce, Mother petitioned to modify the parenting plan. She alleged her move to Murfreesboro — a move of fewer than 50 miles — […]
Read MoreWhat can a Tennessee court do if a parent and the parent’s attorney don’t show up for the trial?
Read MoreCan Tennessee’s parental-relocation statute be superseded by the parents’ agreement prohibiting relocation?
Read MoreWhen parenting time must be limited, what constitutes an abuse of discretion in Tennessee?
Read MoreWas the Tennessee Legislature as bad in 2018 as they’ve been in previous years? You be the judge.
Read MoreIf a relocation increases the travel time for the other parent, does that prove vindictive motive?
Read MoreIs only 64 days of parenting time an abuse of discretion? It depends on who you ask.
Read MoreFacts: Mother and Father are the parents of Child. When they divorced in Texas, Mother was designated the primary residential parent. They subsequently moved to Tennessee. In 2015, Mother notified Father of her intention to relocate with Child back to Texas to accept an employment opportunity. Mother was also motivated by the fact that her […]
Read MoreFacts: This is a parental relocation case where the Court of Appeals split 2-1 over what is meant by a “reasonable purpose” for a parent’s relocation. The facts of the case can be found in this post discussing the Court of Appeals’ decision. In the 2-1 decision from the Court of Appeals, the Majority held […]
Read MoreFacts: Mother and Father are the parents of two children. Everyone lived in Oklahoma until moving to Tennessee in 2005. Mother and Father divorced in 2008 in Nashville. Under the operative parenting plan, Father was designated the primary residential parent. Mother was awarded 110 days of parenting time. On March 2, 2015, Mother received via […]
Read MoreFacts: Mother and Father, the parents of two children, married and lived in Colorado for many years until moving to Tennessee. About six months after moving to Tennessee, Mother and Father separated. Over a year later, Mother filed for divorce. Each parent was designated the primary residential parent for one child, with the other parent […]
Read MoreFacts: Mother and Father, the parents of two children, were divorced in 2012. Mother was designated the primary residential parent. Father received 119 days of parenting time. In 2015, Mother provided Father with a notice of intent to relocate to Pennsylvania, citing her desire to reside with her current husband, an employment opportunity, an educational opportunity, […]
Read MoreFacts: Mother and Father are the unmarried parents of two children. After parentage was established, Father sought equal parenting time. Mother sent Father a notice of her intent to relocate with the children to the Nashville area. The letter told Father that Mother had accepted “an opportunity for advancement” with her employer. Father filed a petition […]
Read MoreOnce again, I am honored to have been selected by my colleagues in the Knoxville Bar as being among the best divorce, family law, child support, and adoption lawyers in Knoxville. CityView magazine explains: Each year, Cityview calls upon the members of the Knoxville Bar Association to determine which attorneys in East Tennessee are the best in […]
Read MoreThings were relatively quiet on the family-law front this past legislative session. Notably missing, however, was any effort to update the various family-law statutes to account for the constitutionally-protected rights of same-sex parents. Until that happens, Tennessee children and their same-sex parents will continue to navigate in an atmosphere of legal uncertainty. There were several […]
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