Tracking 2025 Family Law Legislation in Tennessee
Get a jump on 2025 family law legislative changes and updates in the 114th Tennessee General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor.
NEW LAWS IN 2025
2025 family law legislative changes and updates in the 114th Tennessee General Assembly
Protective Orders and the Voyeurism Victims Act
Governor Lee signed the “Voyeurism Victims Act” into law on March 25, 2025 (Public Chapter 62). Unlawful photography victims who discover they were surreptitiously or secretly recorded have more time to pursue protective measures, namely orders of protection. Sections 1 and 2 of the act amend T.C.A. § 39-13-605, criminal offenses against the person, and take effect July 1, 2025. All other sections of the act took effect upon becoming law, including family law amendments.
Why is this VVA important?
The act expands the criminal offense of unlawful photography to include any unauthorized photograph that the defendant knew would contain the unclothed intimate area of the victim or the victim engaged in sexual activity. The VVA authorizes the issuance of an order of protection for a person who has been subjected to, threatened with, or placed in fear of unlawful photography.
Which family laws were amended?
Specific to domestic violence in family law, amendments to § 36-6-601, 36-3-602(a) and (c), 36-3-605(b), 36-3-606(a), 36-3-613(a), and 36-3-617(a) are now law. In terms of obtaining protective orders against perpetrators, the act places unlawful photography victims alongside victims of domestic abuse, stalking, sexual assault, even human trafficking.
Importantly, new subsection (g) was added to § 39-13-605. Beginning July 1, the limitations period for criminal prosecutions will be “tolled for any period during which the defendant conceals the crime until such time at which the victim discovers the crime.” To toll the limitations period means to suspend or delay it. The limitations clock resumes ticking when the person discovers he or she is the victim of unlawful photography.
Forensic Interviews of Child Victims
The governor signed SB0304 into law on April 11, and the act is now in effect. (Public Chapter TBA.) This act still allows introduction into evidence a video recorded interview conducted by a forensic interviewer wherein the child interviewee made a statement regarding sexual contact or physically violent contact against himself or herself.
What is new? Foundationally, either the interviewed child or the forensic interviewer who conducted that session must testify under oath as to the authenticity of the recording as “true and correct.” The child victim need not testify as to the recording’s authenticity so long as the forensic interviewer can and does. Regardless, the child must be available for cross examination. (Amends Title 24, Chapter 7.)
Although the act did not amend Title 36, it may influence how independent forensic child custody evaluators conduct and preserve video-recorded interviews. For more information about independent child custody evaluations, visit https://memphisdivorce.com/independent-child-custody-evaluation/.
Protecting Teenage Students Online
On April 11, the governor also signed HB0825 into law creating the new Teen Social Media and Internet Safety Act (§ 49-6-4601, et seq.). In the act, schools serving students grades six through 12 will be required to adhere to new social media and internet safety curricula. Section 1 of the act is already in effect. Section 2 amends § 49-1-221(a)(1) effective July 1, 2025.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
Domestic violence is another area where there has been significant legislative activity, including the following.
Shelby County Courts Entering Orders of Protection
The governor signed SB0406 into law on April 24, 2025, effective on that date. Public Chapter 246 amends § 36-3-601(3)(E) so that, in addition to the general sessions courts, Shelby County criminal courts can also hear petitions for orders of protection sought by victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. Caveat: Only petitions for protective orders in conjunction with the criminal matters before the court fall under the bill.
Public Chapter 265 Makes Several Updates
The governor signed SB0943 into law on April 24, 2025 – effective July 1, 2025. Public Chapter 265 amends aspects of child custody law regarding parenting plans and supervised visitation.
The act changes and expands the custody factors in § 36-6-106(a). Amended factor (15) has the court consider whether a parent’s custody or parenting time was reduced or restricted in the past. If it was, then why? Factor (16) has the court consider whether a parent failed to pay court-ordered child support (gone is the nonpayment period of three years of more). And factor (17) has the court consider any other relevant factors.
The P.C. 265 amends § 36-6-703 of Abrial’s Law, The Keeping Children Safe From Family Violence Act. A new subsection (d) adds to the restrictions on reunification of parent and child. Should the court find against a parent on § 36-6-406 restrictions on the parenting plan (willful abandonment, abuse, or other conduct that has an adverse effect on the child), then the custody order is to include written findings that form the basis of the court’s conclusion regarding decision-making authority.
The act also amends § 37-1-130 regarding dependent or neglected children in juvenile courts and proceedings, a new subsection (f) is added to restricted and supervised parenting time orders. There is a rebuttable presumption that the offending parent is solely responsible for all fees and costs of supervised visitation. Furthermore, the act amends § 36-6-406 restrictions in permanent and temporary parenting plans. A new subsection (h) mirrors the rebuttable presumption that it is the offending parent’s sole financial responsibility to pay all fees associated with the supervised visitation.
Lastly, the act amends § 36-3-601(1) definitions of domestic abuse with a new subdivision (B). The definition of “abuse” is expanded to include acts inflicted on another directly by the offending parent or indirectly through a third party.
