Chattanooga Family Law Attorneys
Family Lawyers and Divorce Lawyers Serving Knoxville, Nashville, Franklin & Chattanooga TN
Family law is the name given to the branch of civil law that covers the legal relationships among family members, including husbands, wives, parents, children, and domestic partners. The Chattanooga divorce law firm of Mitchell A. Byrd, PLLC, focuses on the legalities of the following components of family law in Tennessee:
- Divorce
- Legal Separation
- Divorce Mediation
- Child Custody
- Child Support
- Property and Asset Divsion
- Orders of Protection - civil warrants that can have serious consequences
The term divorce refers to the dissolution or the legal end of a marriage. Each state has its own requirements governing when a divorce may be granted, including a residency requirement and grounds or a reason for the divorce.
- Contested Divorce requires proof of grounds for divorce
- Uncontested Divorce is usually based on irreconcilable differences
- Collaborative Divorce is when spouses agree to divorce without litigation, and may include divorce mediation.
In Tennessee, filing a complaint begins the divorce lawsuit. Sometimes this is called a petition for divorce. Tennessee requires that certain statistical information be disclosed in a complaint for divorce. The Certificate of Divorce, a form processed by the State of Tennessee, must also be filed.
Tennessee's Parenting Plan Law
On January 1, 2001, the concept of child custody disappeared from Tennessee's law as a direct result of new parenting plan legislation. This means there are new terms to learn: "Primary residential parent" takes the place of "sole custodian." "Residential time" replaces "visitation." A Secondary Residential Parent is the parent having less than equal time and is required to pay child support.
Read more about child custody laws in Tennessee.
Property division
If you and your spouse are able to agree on how to divide your property, then the agreement will be documented with a Marital Dissolution Agreement. If you are unable to agree, you will go to court, and the judge will decide and order an equitable distribution of your property. Equitable does not necessarily mean equal, but rather, what the judge deems fair to both spouses.
Read more about property and asset division.
If you are in need of a family mediator, divorce, or child custody lawyer in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Nashville, or Franklin, Tennessee, turn to the Chattanooga family law offices of Mitchell A. Byrd, PLLC. Contact us at 888-265-4856, or fill out the quick contact form to schedule a free consultation today.
