Nashville, Tennessee Family Legal Blog

There is no question that going through a divorce can be an extremely emotional process, especially when there are children are involved. It is difficult to separate a family, divide property and create a successful parenting plan. In a number of cases, children are placed in the sole-custody of one parent, while the other parent is given visitation rights. However, studies show the ways in which children may benefit when raised in a joint-custody arrangement.

A study published in the March Journal of Family Psychology looked at kids raised in sole-custody, joint-custody and traditional family situations. Researchers found that kids who lived in joint-custody homes had higher self-esteem, fewer emotional and behavioral problems, better school performance and stronger family relationships. Parents who share custody of the children often have a better relationship, which can be less stressful for the kids.

If you and your spouse in Tennessee have made the choice to end your marriage, you will soon realize that this decision has an impact beyond just the two of you. Certainly, this is true if you have children together but even your other extended family, neighbors, friends and colleagues will at some point come into the picture. For you, this can be a challenge as you may not know how to field questions or discuss this change in your life. It will be important for you decide how you will talk about your divorce to all of these people.

The Chicago Tribune recommends you decide how you want people to think about your divorce and what you want them to know and then practice your "speech". What you say to people might differ based upon their role in your life. A co-worker may need to know less than what you might share with your child's teacher, for example. 

If you are getting divorced in Tennessee, it is not uncommon to learn that your spouse wants to keep your house instead of selling it. This happens quite often, especially when a couple has children who still live at home. The emotional desire to maintain any sense of stability and familiarity for kids is understandable. However, you should be careful to not allow this emotional tug to put you in a bad financial situation.

As explained by MortgageLoan.com, if your spouse wants to retain your family home, you should insist that they refinance to get a mortgage in their name only. This is the only way to ensure that you will be free of the financial liability associated with the house. Even if you sign a quit claim deed that transfers your portion of the ownership to your spouse, you will be considered financially responsible if your original joint mortgage remains in place.

In all matters involving child custody (both in Nashville and elsewhere), family courts almost universally default to the standard of what is believed to be in the best interests of the children involved. That aspect may often outweigh the actions of the parents. However, a parent's actions may ultimately have bearing on what a child's best interest may be. If it is believed that they may be acting in a manner that could be potentially harmful to a child, then the court may choose to reflect that opinion in its ruling. 

Such was the decision handed down by a federal appeals court in Florida recently after reviewing the details of a case involving the international abduction of two young boys. The boys currently live in Florida with their mother, who is an American citizen. Their father, who is from Panama, is fighting to have them returned to his custody. This most recent incident actually marks the second time the mother has abducted the boys from Panama, with the first occurring in 2009. She was later ordered to return the boys to Panama, which she did, only to once again return with them to the U.S. in 2014.