Nashville Modifications Lawyer

Modifications Attorney In Nashville, TN

A court order against you can rapidly drain you of both your financial health and your emotional energy. Working with a competent and reputable Nashville modifications lawyer can significantly benefit your case.

With help from Mathis, Bates & Klinghard, PLLC, you can reopen your case and request that the court recalculate payments for spousal or child support or change a custody order if there was a mistake or you had a significant change in circumstances to warrant a modification.

Some people believe that these legally binding orders cannot be changed once established, but the truth is that the law also offers avenues for re-examining court orders and increasing or even canceling support payments when situations change.

Knowing When to Hire a Modifications Lawyer in Nashville

With around 1,500 annual divorces throughout Davidson County, there are many active court orders for child custody, child support, and alimony affecting Nashville residents. Finding a Nashville modifications attorney who can help with your case is a big step, but it is an important one for many people. You should hire a modifications lawyer who has an unquestionable mastery of modification laws and can help you steer your modification case to a better outcome.

Improperly calculated and obsolete court orders can have a serious impact on your quality of life, but there are avenues for addressing this. In fact, the Tennessee Bar Association publishes a comprehensive Alimony Bench Book to help attorneys and officials navigate family court effectively, and the single most substantial section (50+ pages) is entirely dedicated to modifications and terminations.

Judges in Tennessee have significant latitude when handing down judgments in family court, and do not follow a specific, legally mandated formula when calculating alimony (spousal support) payments after a divorce. The Alimony Bench Book does contain a wealth of information on calculating spousal support payments, but it is only meant to be a useful guide to Tennessee law and is not a legally binding set of rules.

Instead, we trust our Tennessee family court judges to use their knowledge of the law, the details of each individual case, and the principles of equality and fairness when drafting these orders. Always remember that alimony and child support are tools intended to help everyone involved, including you, to have the necessary support and resources after a family unit dissolves.

Child support and spousal support orders are not meant to be punitive measures. If a mistake was made in your case, or your current circumstances necessitate a change in support orders, hire a modifications lawyer who can help you file a petition with the Davidson County Circuit Court.

Understanding Your Tennessee Modifications Case

Just as there are a range of different cases and court orders that can have financial implications for you and your family, there are also a wide range of reasons you may need to seek to have such an order modified. In some cases, there may have been a mistake made. In other cases, the initial court order may be acceptable to all parties involved for months or years before someone’s circumstances change substantially, calling for a review.

Changing circumstances can take many forms, including the following:

• The paying party losing their job or receiving a pay decrease
• The receiving party securing employment or being given increased wages
• The child’s needs changing, requiring more financial support
• The custody arrangement changing
• One parent moving out of state

Whether you are paying too much in alimony, receiving too little in child support, or facing a custody matter that calls for the swift modification of a court order, Mathis, Bates & Klinghard, PLLC can help. Our team of experienced family law attorneys is available to speak with you throughout the week, during the evenings, and even on Saturdays.

For a better understanding of how legally actionable your case may be and what your options are going forward, we encourage you to set up a no-obligation consultation with our court order modifications law team.

FAQs

How To Be Successful With a Child Support Modification Case?

Success with a child support modification case requires providing adequate testimony and evidence to support your position, and then contextualizing it through a smart and cohesive legal strategy. It is advised to consult with a dedicated modifications lawyer at our law firm to assist you with your child support modification case.

What Is the Biggest Mistake in a Custody Battle?

The biggest mistake in a custody battle depends on the details of that particular case, and what sort of outcome you are trying to achieve. Just as every family is unique, so is every custody case. This means there is no one, single “biggest mistake” that applies to every custody situation. To avoid making mistakes in your child custody modification proceedings, work with a trusted attorney and follow their advice closely.

Can You Modify a Parenting Plan Without Going to Court in Tennessee?

You cannot modify a parenting plan without going to court in Tennessee under most circumstances, but every case is unique. When parenting plans and custody become a family court matter, the results are legally binding. In amicable, collaborative divorces with good co-parenting potential, a judge may allow some leeway in such plans, offering parents the flexibility to work together to schedule time with their children in a way that works for everyone.

What Looks Bad in a Custody Case?

Many things look bad in a custody case, depending on your specific role in that case and what exactly you are trying to accomplish in court. For a parent trying to gain custody of a child, some common things that may “look bad” to the court include prior histories of violence, substance abuse, crimes against minors, or negligent behavior.

Need Help Modifying Your Court Order in Nashville? Contact Mathis, Bates & Klinghard, PLLC

Divorce and custody battles are never easy, and you may hesitate to reopen old wounds by seeking modifications to the ensuing court orders. But by working with a trusted attorney who can negotiate on your behalf, you can shield yourself and your minor children from some of the most upsetting aspects of this emotionally charged legal process.

The reality is that life changes fast. Sometimes you need to see corresponding changes in a court order you are subject to in order to make your finances make sense. Whether your child support plan is no longer sufficient to maintain your family’s quality of life or you believe you are overpaying alimony to a well-off ex-spouse, Tennessee law allows you to ask the court to revisit your case and potentially modify or terminate court-ordered payments.

Contact Mathis, Bates & Klinghard, PLLC to set up a consultation and learn more about our comprehensive legal services for those seeking modifications.