Nashville Family Lawyers

Navigating family law disputes can be daunting, especially when emotions are high, and the relationship involves children. MHPS family law attorneys are ready to help you along your journey, ensuring your rights are protected while focusing on compassion and results.

Our family law attorneys have decades of experience helping families with their legal needs throughout Middle Tennessee. We understand how challenging domestic discord can be, and we will work tirelessly to ensure you and your family receive the best care.

Family Law in Tennessee

Family law is a rather broad term, encompassing cases pertaining to family relationships such as marriage, divorce, legal separation, child custody, and adoption.

Family law cases are civil cases, meaning one person is typically in a dispute with another person, as opposed to criminal cases, where the state or federal government charges a person with a crime.

Family law disputes can be complex, but our family law attorneys are committed to helping clients and their family members understand and protect their rights under Tennessee law.

If you’re planning to file for divorce in Tennessee and need legal assistance with navigating the complicated laws and procedures, contact MHPS. We’ll treat your case with utmost confidentiality and sensitivity while ensuring you have all the information to make the right decisions for yourself and your family.

Nashville Family Law Issues

MHPS handles a broad spectrum of family law issues.

Divorce Issues

Divorce – Separating a family is never easy. MHPS family law attorneys endeavor to assist clients in designing their future through crafting settlements which both parties are comfortable with. A Marital Dissolution Agreement is a settlement agreement which provides for the division of assets and debts, spousal support, and more. If children are involved, executing a Permanent Parenting Plan is necessary for settlement, which provides for child custody and support. If an agreement can be reached, clients have the opportunity to determine what is best for their family, rather than having a Judge decide. In the event an agreement cannot be reached, our experienced family law attorneys have the tools necessary to take the case to trial.

Divorce Mediation – Tennessee statutes require that parties to a divorce attend mediation before setting a case for trial, absent a few specific circumstances. Mediation is an opportunity for couples to construct and negotiate agreements in lieu of lengthy and expensive court proceedings, while also generally achieving more favorable results. In divorce mediation, an impartial attorney who is specially trained in mediation will assist parties in reaching an agreement on issues such as the division of assets and debts, spousal support, child custody, and child support. Our family law attorneys have ample experience negotiating agreements through mediation, and advise anyone planning to attend divorce mediation to have an attorney present to assist.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements – A key to successful future planning is to make sure you and your spouse agree on certain issues before or during a marriage. Our attorneys can assist couples in the Nashville area with negotiating, drafting, and executing prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. These contracts can establish terms for things like asset division and spousal support in the event of a marriage’s dissolution.

Couple meets with divorce mediation lawyer

Family moving boxes after settling with a child relocation attorney

Child Custody Issues

Child Custody/Visitation – Determining custody arrangements for the children after a legal separation or a divorce is one of the hardest decisions a couple has to make. Our child custody attorneys seek to ensure that your custody agreement is designed with the best interest of your children in mind. If necessary, our lawyers will fight in Tennessee court to ensure your child’s interests are protected. If a change in circumstance occurs after your parenting plan is entered, our family law attorneys are ready to help with modifications to ensure your parenting plan evolves as your children grow and their needs change.

Child Support – Like custody, child support is a sticking point in many divorces. Unfortunately, divorcing couples forget that child support is for the benefit of the children alone. Because of this attitude, parents will ignore, forget, or abuse payments. In this case, our lawyers will do everything we can to make sure your children are financially secure, starting by forming or modifying an agreement.

Adoption – Adoption is a gift to families, whether adopting through an agency or establishing a legal relationship between stepchild and stepparent. Our family law attorneys are qualified to provide guidance to families and assist throughout the legal process of adding a new member to the family.

Our family attorneys in Nashville and Springfield can also assist with some harder problems surrounding families. This includes things such as domestic violence or termination of parental rights.

FAQs about Family Law Attorney, Nashville

Physical custody is a parent’s right to have physical contact with their child. Joint physical custody, also called joint parenting time, means that the child spends time with both parents, and each parent has a responsibility to physically care for the child. Joint parenting time does not always mean equal parenting time. There are a variety of factors considered when making a custody determination, all of which are weighed to determine a residential schedule that is in the best interest of the child. The general belief is that joint physical custody is best for the child, and Tennessee Courts seek to maximize parenting time with both parents. Any parent who disagrees with the verdict has to provide evidence in support of their disagreement in their particular case.

Legal custody, distinguished from physical custody, is a parent’s right to make decisions on behalf of their child. Sole legal custody means that one parent is responsible for making all major decisions affecting the well-being of the child, including educational, healthcare, and religious decisions.

Regardless of which parent has legal custody, parents do not need to consult with the other parent about day-to-day decisions; however, it is recommended to do so anyway to enable good and clear communication between the parents.

Our family law attorneys are prepared to provide guidance in these matters. Our ample experience provides us with the tools to help you understand your rights and obligations, so you can take all the right steps to strengthen your co-parenting relationship and protect your child’s interests.

This is one of the most common questions our lawyers get. Physical custody refers to who will physically have the children in their care and where the children will live on a regular basis. The court may grant physical custody to both parents or just one.

This verdict, however, can have a huge impact on your life later on. For example, some states allow the parent with sole physical custody to move away with the kids. In such a case, the non-custodial parent must go to court and prove that the move is not in the children’s best interest.

It’s best to work with a seasoned family law attorney in Nashville to ensure you don’t miss out on your rights as a parent.

While our lawyers will always support you in your divorce case, you should know that family law can be a broad area. Having a skilled attorney in your corner will ensure that you and your loved ones are properly represented and protected during the legal process.

Your lawyer will help you in matters related to divorce, property division, child custody and support, visitation, changes in custody terms, paternity/DNA testing, adoption, and more. With their help, you and your family can significantly boost your prospects of obtaining the fairest possible result.

Family Law FAQs

Tennessee family law can be complicated to understand, and you’re likely going through many emotions that can make it even more difficult. You may have questions regarding divorce, child custody, and how your assets will be divided. There’s a lot that can go into it. This is why our team at MHPS has compiled a list of frequently asked questions regarding Tennessee family law.

If you have just moved to a state when you got married, you may wonder how long you have to live there before you can get a divorce. In Tennessee, you have to live in the state for six months before filing for a divorce.

Alternative dispute resolution is used to avoid litigation when possible in a contested divorce. It can save financial resources, as well as time and stress for both parties.

This process involves mediation in a private, informal setting where an impartial mediator helps facilitate an agreement between the individuals regarding important issues such as the division of property, child support or custody, and spousal support.

After filing for divorce, you need to serve your ex their papers. Under Tennessee law, you are required to serve a copy of the divorce petition to your spouse either by certified mail for them to sign upon receiving or by having someone else, who is not related to you, deliver the petition.

In a Tennessee divorce, a couple’s property is divided using equitable division of assets. This means that separate property and marital property are judged by a court if the couple cannot come to a consensus. The court will use factors such as:

  • Age of each spouse
  • The duration of the marriage
  • Mental and physical health of both individuals
  • Contributions by both parties
  • Earning capacity, vocational skills, and employability of each person
  • The value of any separate property
  • The current economic status of both spouses

In Tennessee, a standard Parenting Plan highlights how a child or the children of divorced parents will be raised. It highlights the importance of both parent-child relationships to avoid parental alienation by either party

The major difference between legal separation and divorce is that you cannot remarry if you are legally separated. The grounds for separation are typically the same as those of divorce, including support payments, child custody, and the distribution of marital assets. However, the marriage is not dissolved.

In short, no, you should not date while legally separated in Tennessee as it can potentially be used against you in court if you do go through with a divorce. This can alter custody, child support, and alimony, which you may already receive under your separation agreement.

A Nashville Family Law Firm That Can Answer Your Questions

While this covers some of the basic questions you may have regarding family law, you still might have more questions and concerns you need help with. At MHPS, we have years of experience helping people through divorces, determining child custody, and other family law concerns and are here to provide the help you need.

If you have any more questions about family law, our Nashville family law attorneys have the answers. Contact us today if you have a family law matter that requires our assistance.

Protect your rights. Contact Our Nashville Family Lawyers Today.

It takes a dedicated lawyer with experience and compassion to ensure your case reaches an amenable resolution. You can count on the Tennessee family law attorneys at MHPS to deliver the results you deserve.

If you are considering a divorce or have issues with your child custody in Charlotte, Brentwood, Franklin, and other communities across Davidson and Williamson counties, we’re only a phone call away. Contact the lawyers at MHPS now for more information.