Americans are amassing a staggering amount of unsecured consumer debt. The average household credit card debit in the U.S. is about $15,706 according to Federal Reserve data. When a couple divorces, in addition to dividing their assets, the debt that they have accumulated during the course of the marriage must be allocated as well. Although the Tennessee statutes do not…
After all these years of practicing family law in Tennessee, I can say that I’ve heard a lot of similar questions. But there are a few questions that clients don’t always think to ask that I wish they would have, because it could have saved them a lot of heartache and aggravation. So rather than give you answers to questions…
While some were celebrating the Supreme Court of the United States’ landmark ruling that declared any law prohibiting same-sex marriage as unconstitutional by getting married, others used the opportunity to get divorced. The first same-sex divorce case in Knox County was filed on July 1st by a couple that was married in New York last year. The two women cited…
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…
The team here at Kevin Shepherd, Attorney at Law, knows that our firm founder is a humble man. So we wanted to announce that Kevin has just won the 2014 Clients’ Choice Award from Avvo! The Client’s Choice award is given to attorneys whose clients have purposely and positively reviewed them with at least 4/5 stars on Avvo. Kevin has…