Frequently Asked Tennessee Divorce Questions

How do I schedule a consultation? 

Fill out the intake form and you will be sent an email to pay the consult fee. When you pay the fee your browser will be redirected to the scheduling page. 

How much is the consult fee?

$80

What kind of cases do you accept? 

All types of divorces and some Juvenile Court cases, which are cases for never married parents. 

What kind of cases do you not accept? 

Dependency & neglect cases, which means cases normally involving DCS at Juvenile Court. 

Do you accept Mississippi or Arkansas cases?

No, I only have a Tennessee license. 

How much do you charge for a case? 

Cases are charged by flat fee and range from $1500 to $4000+ depending on what needs to be done. 

How Are Flat Fees Different than Billable Hours?

You are paying a set rate for a limited bundle of services instead of having open-ended representation for anything you need. Flat fees are not based on time spent working but on the total value of the work done. Flat fees are earned upon receipt so attorney fees are not held in trust.

What Are Your Payment Plan Options?

We add a 10% finance charge to the total fee, and then you will have to make a down payment and then enroll in an automated monthly payment plan. The down payment amount depends on the total fee but will likely be between a quarter and half of the total. You will need to have regular income and have a payment method on file to be approved for a payment plan.

Can You Make My Spouse Pay for the Divorce?

Kinda, sorta, not really. There are circumstances where you could get an order for reimbursement of attorney fees, but you as the client are ultimately responsible for paying your lawyer.

How long does it take to get divorced in Tennessee?

There is a minimum waiting period of 60 days for cases without children and 90 days for cases with children. The waiting period begins when your case is filed with the court clerk. If your case is contested then there really isn’t a minimum timeframe as it could take a few months or even years depending on the case.

Can We Use the Same Lawyer if We Agree?

No. A lawyer can only represent one party in a case, so in most uncontested divorces the other spouse doesn’t have a lawyer and just signs the documents the Plaintiff’s lawyer produces. However, the unrepresented Defendant can and should take those documents to their own lawyer to review at a consult.

What if my spouse refuses to sign?

If your spouse refuses to sign then you cannot have an uncontested divorce and you will need to have them served.

What if my spouse is missing?

In that case you can have them served by publication notice, but you have to have made a good faith effort to attempt to locate them.

Can We Waive Child Support?

No, child support is mandatory in Tennessee and you cannot get the divorce granted without a child support worksheet that follows the Tennessee Child Support Guidelines.

Can you help with child support arrears? 

Not really. Once orders are final, they are final and can only be cleared by paying the debt. There is a program with the child support office to reduce or forgive arrears, but you have to pay in full on time every time each month for twelve months before you qualify and the recipient has to sign an affidavit approving the forgiveness.