At the Knoxville, TN Law Office of R. Samuel English, we are committed to providing you excellent, personal service for all of your family law needs, no matter how simple or complex.
Tennessee attorney R. Samuel English concentrates on legal cases related to family law, including divorce, legal separation, Child Custody, and Support, Alimony, Division of Property, Mediation and Post Divorce Actions, Also at The Law office Of R. Samuel English located in Knoxville, Tennessee, we take case related to auto, motorcycle, and trucking accidents, in both Tennessee State and Federal courts.
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R. Samuel English
Daniel & English
550 W. Main Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone: (865) 546-
Fax: (865) 546-
Knoxville Divorce Lawyer
Child Custody Attorney in Knoxville TN
Deciding the custodial arrangements for children is not an issue that is resolved quickly. A court typically begins its assessment with an examination of the status quo. It looks at the way the parties have been operating on their own. If both parents have been equally involved in the raising of the children, playing an active role in their lives, then there is probably a good chance that the situation is an appropriate one for joint physical custody.
When considering the options that are presented, a court considers several factors including
* Arrangements within the family in the past
* The positive effects and drawbacks of each proposed custody arrangement
* If the child is old enough, the wishes of the child
* Any history of domestic violence or drug abuse
When custody is unresolved between the parties, the courts require the spouses to meet with a Family Court Services Mediator. The Mediator is charged with examining the situation and learning more about the relationships and synergy of the family. The Mediator will then make recommendations for custody and see whether the parents will agree to abide by these recommendations.
Note: When both parents share custody, the amount of support provided to the spouse with the lower earnings generally reflects the decrease in time spent with the children. While this should not be a motivating factor for requesting custody of minor children, this decrease in payments must be accounted for as part of the negotiation process.
If parents cannot resolve the issues of custody by themselves or through some phase of the mediation process, the parties always have the right to have a hearing of the issues before the court; however, this process is not inexpensive and can serve to increase the acrimony between the parties. If one parent is still unhappy with the result, she/he can request that the court order the parties to undergo an evaluation. Evaluations generally costly and are usually conducted by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or some other family trained specialist in private practice who focuses on custody evaluations.
Where the parties cannot agree to an arrangement for their children, custody can be a long and complicated process. When the future of your children is at stake, you need to have an Knoxville, TN child custody attorney with the experience to navigate the process and bring the important considerations to light.