If prospective adoptive parents of a child live in a different state than the one where the child is living, the law that governs this transaction is called the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children Act (ICPC). This is a uniform, statutory law in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories. Before a child who…
Paternity fraud occurs when a woman deceives a man into thinking that she is carrying his biological child, even when she knows that he is not the father. If she knows that this man is not the father and she tells him that he is and he takes on the obligation of parental responsibility and child support for this child…
You may have heard about Angela and Jeff Watts, the couple who used Facebook to find a suitable family for their unused IVF embryos. Within days, it seems, a family willing to meet the Watts family’s stipulations has come forth, and those six embryos will go to Rayn and Richard Galloway of Granville. This story went “viral” for a few…
The University of Maryland School of Medicine (UM SOM) has been conducting research on spinal cord injuries, and has discovered that they can cause “progressive loss of brain cells in key brain regions,” according to ScienceDaily.com. The studies are among the first of their kind, highlighting how inflammation of the brain can be one of the most serious side effects…
In early January 2015 a man in Georgia was issued a ticket for eating a cheeseburger while driving. Though it seems like an odd citation, eating while driving falls under the umbrella of distracted driving – not only in Georgia, but right here in Tennessee as well. In fact, there are a number of activities that many people perform while…
Divorce in general is often a complicated process that attempts to dissolve the physical and financial bonds that once held a couple together. In the process, emotional bonds can also often shattered. When the stakes are high, you might be shocked at how contentious and volatile a divorce can become. Whether the dispute is about finances or children, an experienced…
It is almost time for Thanksgiving, which means the biggest shopping day of the year – Black Friday – will soon be upon us. Every year, people are injured in the throngs of shoppers who are pushing and fighting their way to the “best” toys or gifts for sale. The stores are responsible for maintaining a safe place for shoppers,…
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. After being inundated by news stories about athletes, politicians and musicians accused (or convicted) of domestic violence, I believe that it’s time we all took a stand and advocated on behalf of our mothers, sisters, brothers, sons, daughters and grandchildren once and for all. What is domestic violence? The Tennessee Districts Attorneys General…
As a criminal defense attorney, I help a lot of clients facing driving-related charges. What I’ve learned is that most people are totally unaware of how the traffic ticket system works in Tennessee. But if you’re charged with a moving violation, simply paying the ticket isn’t always your best option. For example: let’s say a man is driving at 35mph…
Life as a divorced parent or single parent can be challenging, and there are times when difficult situations show up in your life that put you in a tailspin. Maybe you lost a job or suffered a debilitating illness or accident that prevents you from working. When you are paying child support and you experience a significant variance in your…