Tennessee Family Law/ Divorce Source Guide

Introduction

Family law and divorce are common legal issues researched by attorneys, students, and pro se (self-representing) individuals at the University of Tennessee Law Library. While not an exhaustive list, this guide serves as an introduction to resources available on divorce and and family law in Tennessee.

Key Words:

domestic relations, family law, divorce, dissolution of marriage, spousal support, alimony, child custody, child support, bankruptcy, marital property, domestic violence, forms.

Secondary/Self-help Materials:

Garrett, W. Walton. Tennessee Divorce, Alimony and Child Custody: with Forms. Suwanee, GA: Harrison Co. Published annually. Includes forms.

A comprehensive scholarly treatment of Tennessee divorce law with references to supporting case law and statutes. Good for beginning research when unfamiliar with legal issues and arguments related to divorce in Tennessee. Organized by topical sections. Includes an alphabetical subject index and appendices. Appendices include child support guidelines from the Tennessee Department of Human Services Child Support Services Division, and divorce checklists.
Call No: KFT100.T46
Location: Secured Reserve (inquire at Circulation Desk).

Richards, Janet L. Richards on Tennessee Family Law. Charlottesville, VA: Michie, 1997. Includes forms.

Another good source for background research on family law issues in Tennessee. Topics include marital rights and obligations; dissolution of marriage; child custody jurisdiction and venue; child custody determinations; visitation; domestic violence; spousal support; and bankruptcy. Also includes Table of Cases, Table of Statutes, alphabetical index arranged by topic. Includes child support guidelines and forms and bankruptcy forms for the Western District of Tennessee, as well as general divorce, child custody, and other family-law related forms. Updated annually with pocket supplements.
Call No: KFT94.R43
Location: Secured Reserve (inquire at Circulation Desk).

 

 

 

Tennessee Jurisprudence: An Encyclopedia of Tennessee Law. Charlottesville, VA: Michie Law Publishers, 1982.

A comprehensive legal encyclopedia of Tennessee law. As with other encyclopedias, it is arranged alphabetically by topic title. The topics "Divorce and Alimony" and "Parent and Child" may be of particular interest. Tennessee Jurisprudence includes extensive citations to primary materials, such as the Tennessee statutes and Tennessee case opinions. A separate index volume is shelved at the end of the set.
Call No. KFT65.T4
Location: Secured Reserve and Reserve Reading Room.

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Tennessee Digest, 2d. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Co., 1986.

The Tennessee Digest contains summaries of Tennessee case opinions, organized by topic. Topics that may be of particular interest include Divorce, Parent-and-Child, Children Out of Wedlock, Infants, and Adoption.
Call No: KFT57.T4 2d
Location: Lower Reading Room (in the shelves adjacent to the staircase), and Law Stacks.

Engel, Margorie L. Divorce Help Sourcebook. Detroit: Visible Ink Press, 1994.

A good divorce source for the general public. Not limited to Tennessee law, it features information on a number of topics. Each state has a summary of the law covering divorce, child custody, marital property, and annulment. References to specific state statute or code sections are available for those who wish to read the original text. Also offers information on state agencies that assist in legal matters, child custody problems, financial and insurance issues, and marital records. The author also provides further information on uniform statutes, financial and practical matters, parenting, health and well-being, and a glossary of words and phrases commonly used in divorce proceedings.
Call No.:KF535.Z9 E54 1994
Location: Reserve Reading Room/Self Help.

Sitarz, Daniel. Divorce Yourself: The National No-Fault Divorce Kit. Boulder, CO: Nova Publishing Company, 1991.

While not a Tennessee source, it is nonetheless very useful. Good for the general public, this book contains information on the divorce process: divorce law, filing, grounds for divorce, dividing property and bills, alimony and spousal support, child custody and visitation, child support, preparing divorce papers, court appearances, and post-divorce information as well. Also includes glossary of legal terms, alphabetical subject index, and bibliography of divorce-related books. An appendix contains summaries of divorce laws in the 50 states.
Call No: KF535.Z9 S57 1991
Location: Reserve Reading Room/Self Help.

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Primary Sources:

Tennessee Code Annotated. Charlottesville, VA: Michie Law Publishers, 1996.

The Tennessee Code Annotated is the official collection of Tennessee statutes currently in effect in this state. The Code is arranged by subject. Each subject, called a "title," is also given a number. Title 36, "Domestic Relations," may be of particular interest. The index to the code is in several paperbound volumes shelved at the end of the set. The Tennessee Code Annotated includes not just the text of the statute itself, but summaries of related cases and references to additional related materials, such as articles and encyclopedia entries. TheTennessee Code Annotated is updated with annual pocket supplements as well as with interim paperbound supplements. The library also keeps older, superseded versions of the Code on reserve. If you need to research an older code, please ask at the Reference Desk for assistance.
Call No: KFT30 1955.A2
Location: Lower Reading Room (in the shelves adjacent to the staircase), Secured Reserve, Reserve Reading Room, and Law Stacks (fourth floor).

South Western Reporter . St. Paul, MN: West Pub. Co.

The South Western Reporter includes officially published opinions from Tennessee appellate courts.
Call No: KF 135 .S7
Location: Upper Reading Room (second floor).

Online Sources:

Family Law Topics: Sponsored by the Tennessee Bar Association, this site provides general information on divorce in Tennessee. Topics include legal separation, obtaining a divorce, grounds for annulment, child custody, division of property, rights of battered women, changing names, visitation, and debt responsibility. A good beginning point for information.

About Divorce in Tennessee: A guide to divorce in Tennessee. Topics include Contempt & Abuse, Financial Factors, Children & Custody, Expectations, Fees & Expenses, Negotiations, Court Appearances, and appendixes with more detailed information and documentation on specific topics. This site is maintained by an attorney who sees it primarily as a reference source for his clients, and is not intended as a "do it yourself" divorce resource.

Tennessee Divorce Source: A great self-help resource for general divorce information in Tennessee. Provides links to state resources, child custody, child support, counseling, taxes, and personal property. Also includes information on the divorce process and provides a directory of family law attorneys in Tennessee, arranged by county.

Divorce Tennessee: Sponsored by DivorceNet.com, includes links to Tennessee Department of Human Services, Tennessee Bar Association, county bar Associations; information on residency requirements, alimony, child custody and visitation, child support. Also includes a section on frequently asked question concerning alimony, child support, lawyer selection, legal fees, mediation, property division, and state laws and filing. A legal dictionary is also included.

Tennessee Code Unannotated: Once at the linked page, look for a drop-down link box under the heading, Legal Resources: please choose from the states below to view our free on-line legal resources. Use the drop-down box to select Tennessee. Once at the Tennessee code page, you may use the search box in the upper left hand corner, or click the small box with a plus sign in it to begin browsing the code by title. This free version of the code provides the text of the statutes only, without summaries of related case law or references to helpful secondary materials.

LexisNexis Academic Universe: This resource is available from the University of Tennessee campus only. Once at the LexisNexis Academic Universe main page, select "Legal Research" from the left-hand menu to search case law (including otherwise unpublished opinions), statutes, and law review articles.

Keep in mind that when doing on-line legal research, you should always check and see when the information was last updated. If information on the page is current as of 2001, but an important case was decided, or a law passed, in 2002, the information on the web page is practically worthless.

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Last Modified: June 17, 2003