8 Factors Considered in Joint Custody in Tennessee

When joint custody is awarded, both parents get to share in the raising of the child. However, Tennessee divorce laws provide guidelines for courts making this decision. Talking with a Memphis divorce lawyer can help in making sure your rights are protected, along with ensuring the best interests of your child are considered.  In Tennessee, joint custody may also be described as “shared parenting” or “equal time parenting.”

The following are eight factors considered when making a joint custody decision in Tennessee: 

• parenting abilities (along with a willingness to encourage his or her child to have a close relationship with the other parent);
• affection, love and emotional ties between the child and parent;
• character of other individuals (parent’s boyfriend, girlfriend, relatives, etc.)
• who will interact with or live with the child;
• ability to adequately provide for child;
• evidence of abuse (spousal or child);
• ability of child to adjust to environment (home, school and community);
• child’s preference (if 12 years or above); and
• stability of the home (along with the parent’s physical and mental health).

The reality is that divorce can have a lasting impact on the children. If it is in the child’s best interest, joint custody (shared parenting), may be the easiest way for children to transition so they continue to see their mother and father on a regular basis.

For more information, see Tennessee Child Custody Laws in Divorce Answers to FAQs.

Consulting a Memphis Divorce Lawyer

Divorce ends a marriage but it doesn’t necessarily end the responsibilities of a parent. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report indicates that there were 25,843 divorces in Tennessee in 2009, and the figure may actually be underreported. While many estimates put the divorce rate at around 50 percent, life must go on for parents whose responsibility to care and provide for their children doesn’t go away.

Contact a divorce attorney at the Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLC to learn about your rights. Our law firm serves residents in Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, along with areas in Eastern Arkansas and West Tennessee. To help prepare for your case, download our free eBook, Your First Steps: 7 Steps Planning Your Tennessee Divorce. Call us today at 901-683-1850 to discuss child custody and how it is determined.