In Tennessee, all divorcing parents enter into a Permanent Parenting Plan. Related Article: What Visitation Rights Do Grandparents Have? What is a parenting plan, and do I need one? If grandparents and natural parents become involved in a custody dispute, the parent will not lose custody without a showing of parental unfitness or a showing of substantial harm to the child. Grandparents seeking custody from a natural parent raises issues of constitutional rights, specifically the right to privacy. Related Article: Choosing Mom or Dad: Can A Child Choose Where To Live? Do grandparents have custody and visitation rights? The preference of the child is one factor that the court will consider in determining the best interests of the children. The court may choose to hear the preference of a child under the age of 12. Under Tennessee statute, the court shall consider the reasonable preference of the child over the age of 12. Related Article: Options If Denied Parenting Time Over Owed Child Support When can my child decide which parent to live with? If a parent refuses to pay child support, the other parent should file a Petition for Contempt. No, child support is a completely different and independent issue from the right of visitation.
Related Article: Who Pays Child Support If We Share Custody? Can a parent refuse to allow visitation if child support is not paid? If parents share 50-50/equal parenting time, child support is based upon each parent having one hundred eighty-two and one-half (182.5) days of parenting time. Yes, in Tennessee child support is based off the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines. Joint Legal Custody If both parents share custody does anyone pay child support? Related Article: Joint Physical Custody vs. Physical custody concerns the child’s day-to-day living arrangements. Legal custody concerns decisions regarding the child’s health, education, and welfare. In Tennessee, we have both “physical” and “legal” custody. Related Article: Will I Get Custody? What is joint custody? What is sole custody? If you and your spouse do not agree, the court will determine the custodial arrangement based on the best interest of the child. If you and your spouse can agree to a custody arrangement, you will decide which spouse gets custody of your children. Tennessee child custody attorneys provide answers to frequently asked questions with regards to Tennessee child custody laws and custody in Tennessee.