Frequently Asked Questions
What is the process to get a consultation?
Simply call us at (423) 254-5333 or click here to contact us. You will be asked to leave some basic information about yourself and your legal situation and we will quickly reach back out to you to let you know what the next steps are.
Can I bring my family or friends to my appointment?
How much is your fee? How does the fee structure work?
Unlike many firms, this firm does not bill paralegal or secretarial time for services performed by support staff. Nor does this firm charge for long-distance telephone charges, routine copy charges, routine postage and delivery, or credit card processing. Likewise, this firm keeps all attorney service-time documented to the nearest 1/10th of an hour (rounded upward) and prorates for services performed at the same time for several cases. (Some firms bill to ¼ hour increments or more, causing your prepaid credits to be depleted quicker and causing you to owe more to your attorney sooner.)
Can I get my legal fees paid if I win?
How fast can you finish my case?
Divorce cases involving grounds of irreconcilable differences are required to be on file with the Court for at least 60 days before final judgment can be entered (and 90 days if children are involved). The filing date starts with the date that the case is actually filed with the appropriate Court, not the date of separation, the date that a lawyer was retained, the date that a document was signed, etc. In actuality, the total amount of “waiting time” depends on many other factors, including the Court’s own scheduling requirements and ability to properly docket a matter to be concluded.
Otherwise, some cases (divorce, non-divorce, post-divorce, etc.) can be resolved by Default Judgment if the opposing party has been served for at least 30 days but has not taken proper steps to defend against the relief being sought. That process requires at least 30 days between service of process and the request for Default Judgment. The actual time required will, again, depend on many other factors.
A case that is not resolved by agreement or Default Judgment can otherwise take several months or more to resolve, depending on the circumstances.
We all understand how stressful the pendency of a case can be, however, this firm does not advise clients to put the desire for quick relief in front of their own financial or other legal interests. We do not work to “expedite” bad results for clients: getting the best results takes cooperation, diligence, time, and patience!
I have been served legal documents. What should I do?
I have been given proposed agreed documents. Can you look them over for me?
How long do I have to be legally separated to be divorced?
Will it be hard to get my name changed after I am divorced? Will it cost more?
My spouse left me. I want to get them for abandonment.
My spouse and I agree we want a divorce. Isn’t this an agreed divorce?
I got served with divorce papers and they say that I am guilty of inappropriate marital conduct. I haven’t done anything wrong. What should I do?
“Inappropriate Marital Conduct” is sometimes used as a catch-all to plead grounds for divorce where the matter has not already been agreed upon. With proper representation, you will learn how this ground is treated in a typical divorce action and you will be best prepared to resolve your matter toward preserving your best interests.
I heard Tennessee is “not an alimony state.” Is that true?
How old does a child need to be to decide which parent they should primarily reside with?
However, if a case has reached the point that a child’s preference is being weighed by the Court, it is generally at the trial level and the child is generally required to testify to comport with the rules of evidence. This is often disfavored, absent extraordinary circumstances.