Child Custody

Tennessee modified its child custody laws in 2000 to model changes that had occurred in other states' divorce laws. What was formerly known as "child custody" is now known as "parenting". Tennessee's new law does not use divisive words such as "custody" or "visitation", but the documents controlling the rearing of children between divorcing parents talk about where children will reside and for what time periods. Which parent will make major decisions (such as educational, non-emergency medical care, religious and extra-curricular) are decided. Life insurance on each parent's life with the children designated as beneficiary is discussed. Tax dependency exemptions are discussed. The changes have elevated the status of children in a divorce to that of property, cars and bills.

When parenting plans were introduced, they were at first 22 pages long. Revisions have reduced thoe plans down to 10 pages. A state-wide parenting plan form introduced June 1, 2005 was supposed to replace each judicial district's own peculiar form. There are still wide variations from judicial district to judicial district as to what is "normal" or "customary" parenting time between parents in standard shared parenting situations.

To view the most recent state-wide parenting plan form, please use this link:

http://www.tncourts.gov/geninfo/programs/Parenting/Parenting.htm