Tennessee Divorce Lawyers

Men often face emotional turmoil and uncertainty when considering divorce in Tennessee. They may fear losing assets and custody battles. They may worry about the perceived bias against men in family law cases. The divorce process is often complicated. Trying to navigate it without expert legal representation is dangerous. Men can risk financial loss in property division, child support, or alimony payments. They may end up with limited child custody rights. These risks intensify the emotional and financial strain of divorce. Cordell & Cordell is an ally to men in Tennessee divorce cases. Thanks to years of experience handling family law matters, the firm takes an aggressive approach to litigation and offers a deep understanding of how divorce can affect men. Let us help you through this challenging time and protect your interests.

Why Choose Cordell & Cordell for Your Divorce in Tennessee?

For over thirty years, the Tennessee divorce lawyers at Cordell & Cordell have offered legal advice and advocacy to men going through divorce cases. Our law firm focuses on legal issues affecting men, such as parenting rights and a fair division of assets.

Hear From Past Clients:

“My attorney was incredibly tenacious and very knowledgeable in fighting our case, and she helped my family navigate through what was probably the most stressful time in our lives! In the end, my daughter and I were very happy with the outcome. If I could give [my attorney] more than five stars, I would!” — Joseph L.

“Excellent representation, honest and very responsive. The outcome was more than acceptable, given the conditions. Will certainly use [my attorney] at Cordell and Cordell for any future issues.” — Dustin B.

Understanding Tennessee Divorce Laws: What Men Need to Know

Divorce in Tennessee can involve numerous issues affecting almost every aspect of a person’s life. If spouses can agree to a settlement in an uncontested divorce, they must deal with property division, perhaps spousal support and the custody and support of any minor children. A contested divorce may require a judge to decide these issues. After the divorce is final, modifications to child support, child custody, or spousal support orders may be necessary.

Cordell Cordell’s ‌Tennessee divorce attorneys have experience in the following practice areas.

• Divorce
• Child custody
• Alimony
• Custody modification
• Child support
• Property division
• Pre-nuptial agreements

Grounds for Filing for a Divorce in Tennessee

When filing for divorce in Tennessee, you must state a reason, also known as the grounds for divorce. Tennessee allows “no-fault divorce,” meaning that a court can grant a divorce without evidence that either spouse did something to cause the breakup of the marriage. State law provides two grounds for no-fault divorce:

• The spouses have irreconcilable differences.
• The spouses have lived apart without cohabitating for at least two years and do not have minor children.

Tennessee law identifies thirteen fault-based grounds for divorce:

1. A spouse was impotent at the time of marriage and remains unable to reproduce.
2. The marriage occurred while a spouse was still married to someone else.
3. A spouse has committed adultery.
4. A spouse deserted the other “without a reasonable cause” for at least one year.
5. A spouse is convicted of a crime that causes them to become “infamous,” meaning a felony that results in ineligibility to vote.
6. A spouse is convicted of a felony and sentenced to imprisonment.
7. A spouse has maliciously attempted to kill the other spouse.
8. A spouse has, without reasonable cause, refused to move to Tennessee with the other spouse and remained away for at least two years.
9. At the time of the marriage, the wife was pregnant with someone else’s child without the husband’s knowledge.
10. A spouse began abusing alcohol or drugs after the marriage began.
11. A spouse engaged in “inappropriate marital conduct,” defined as “cruel and inhuman treatment… [that] renders cohabitation unsafe and improper.”
12. A spouse made it “intolerable” for the other spouse to continue living with them.
13. A spouse abandoned the other or kicked them out of the marital residence and failed to do so despite being able to support them financially.

Child Custody Laws in Tennessee

Courts must base all child custody decisions on what they believe will be in the child’s best interests. Some factors that a judge might consider include:

• The child’s relationship with each parent;
• Each parent’s potential for handling parental responsibilities;
• The child’s emotional and developmental needs;
• The child’s relationships with other family members;
• The child’s wishes, if they are at least 12 years old; and
• Any history of abuse or neglect by either parent.

Child Support Must-Knows for Fathers in Tennessee

Tennessee uses the “income shares” model to calculate child support obligations. This model is based on the idea that both parents should contribute financially to a child in proportion to their income. The following steps are involved in calculating child support:

• Determine the parents’ combined gross monthly income, which includes wages, salary, self-employment income, annuities, capital gains, and other income sources.
• Determine Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) by deducting taxes and credits for minor children born to other relationships.
• Calculate the basic child support obligation based on the Tennessee child support guidelines.
• Make adjustments for the amount of parenting time each parent has with the child and expenses like health insurance for the child to determine the Adjusted Support Obligation (ASO).
• Each parent’s ASO is in proportion to their share of AGI.

Complexities of Tennessee Divorce for Fathers with Substantial Assets

Divorce can be complicated for almost anyone. A divorce case can become quite heated for someone with a substantial amount of assets due to property division disagreements. Our team of Tennessee family law attorneys has extensive experience working with financial professionals to inventory and value complex marital estates. We are practiced at presenting these issues in court in ways that protect our clients’ interests in assets like:

• Family businesses;
• Real estate;
• Trusts;
• Large-scale investments;
• Retirement accounts; and
• Valuables, heirlooms, and collectibles.

The Bias Against Men in Divorce: Breaking Down Myths

Our legal system can sometimes seem to have a bias toward women. Men often appear to receive harsher penalties than women for the same crimes, for example. Crimes against women seem to receive more severe punishments than crimes against men. This can also appear in the legal process for divorce and other family law matters, such as when mothers seem to get full custody rights more often than fathers.

Some statistics support the idea that many family law cases go in women’s favor more often. Opinions vary widely about why this happens, but it is not due to the letter of the law. Family laws in Tennessee and other states make no distinctions between men and women or fathers and mothers.

One possible reason why mothers seem to get more custody rights is because of certain traditional views on parenthood that persist in our culture. Women are often seen as caregivers, while men are breadwinners. Regardless, our Tennessee divorce attorneys work to overcome any actual or perceived bias in the system and fight for our clients’ rights.

Facing a Divorce in Tennessee? Cordell & Cordell Has Your Back

You do not have to face the divorce process alone. Cordell & Cordell’s dedicated family lawyers are ready to fight for your rights as a father and your financial interests. We offer educational resources like eBooks, podcasts, and virtual town hall meetings to help you through this ordeal. Contact us today at 866-DADS-LAW (323-7529) or fill out our online contact form to learn more about how we can help.