{"id":376384,"date":"2019-03-01T15:17:40","date_gmt":"2019-03-01T20:17:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/tennessee-law\/child-custody-process-in-tennessee.html"},"modified":"2024-12-12T17:01:49","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T22:01:49","slug":"child-custody-process-in-tennessee","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/tennessee-law\/child-custody-process-in-tennessee.html","title":{"rendered":"Child Custody Process in Tennessee"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Child Custody Process in Tennessee<\/h1>\n
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\n By Olivia Wathne, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Laura Temme, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Breaking up is hard, but it’s even harder when children are involved. When a couple with a child breaks up, they must decide about child custody<\/u><\/a> and support.<\/p>\r\n

Unfortunately, these decisions aren’t always easy to make. That’s usually when courts can step in and decide for the parents. Even if the parents can come up with their own parenting agreement<\/u><\/a>, it’s not final until it gets approved by the court.<\/p>\r\n

This article outlines the process of creating a child custody arrangement in Tennessee that addresses parenting time, visitation rights, and other important decisions.<\/p>\r\n

Establishing Paternity in Tennessee<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Tennessee law<\/a> presumes that a child born to a married couple is the child of both people in the couple. But, an unmarried father must establish paternity<\/u><\/a> before he can have parental rights.<\/p>\r\n

Paternity gets established through a court order, which can happen because of an agreement between the unmarried parents or a petition to establish parentage.<\/p>\r\n

Types of Custody<\/b><\/h2>\r\n

Custody arrangements typically encompass various categories. Types of custody<\/a> include:<\/p>\r\n