Springfield, TN Father’s Rights Lawyer
Father’s Rights Attorney In Springfield, TN
Parents have essential rights and responsibilities to provide for their children and make important decisions for them. One essential parental right is the ability to request custody. During a separation or divorce, it is important that both parents take action to protect their rights and their children’s best interests. A Springfield, TN father’s rights lawyer can help fathers ensure fair treatment during a custody case and navigate complex legal issues.
The team at Mathis, Bates & Klinghard PLLC has spent decades collectively working in family law. We know how important it is as a father that you maintain a strong connection with your child and can provide for them.
Our firm understands how to advocate for fathers like you and fight for fair treatment and a reasonable custody arrangement that protects you and your children’s interests. We provide communicative and staunch advocacy in Springfield’s 19th district.
Father’s Rights in Springfield
Many fathers seeking custody of their children in a separation or divorce case believe they cannot secure 50-50 custody or other significant custody arrangement, but this isn’t true. Parents have equal standing to request custody of their children, but often don’t secure the full custody they could because they have insufficient legal representation.
As a father, you have the right to request custody, and gender should not factor into the court’s decisions. While courts used to favor mothers in these arrangements, this is no longer the case. Over 26% of the Springfield population is under the age of 18. The courts believe that children need the presence of both of their parents in most cases.
What Does the Court Consider in a Custody Case?
In a divorce, separation, or annulment where the involved parties have minor children, the court makes decisions about physical and legal custody based on the child’s best interests. Based on a child’s interests, the court should find a custody arrangement that does the following:
- Allows each parent to have maximum time in their child’s life
- Considers the residence location of each parent
- Upholds stability in a child’s life
In order to determine the child’s best interests, the court considers some of the following factors:
- The child’s relationship with each parent and the quality, stability, and nature of that relationship, as well as whether one parent has completed the primary parenting tasks each day
- The past and current parenting responsibilities each parent has performed
- Each parent’s willingness to encourage a strong relationship with the child and both the child’s parents, if it is in the child’s best interests
- Either parent’s history of violating court orders and the likelihood of each parent to honor a court agreement
- Either parent’s refusal to attend court-ordered parent courses
- Each parent’s ability and willingness to provide their child with basic needs like food, clothing, education, and healthcare
- How much one parent has been the primary caregiver in the past
- The care and emotional ties between the child and each parent
- The child’s age, emotional needs, and developmental level
- Each parent’s mental, emotional, physical, and moral well-being, as far as it impacts their ability to parent their child
- The child’s connections to their siblings, relatives, mentors, and others in the community
- Any evidence of abuse of the child
- The child’s reasonable preference if they are 12 or older
- Other relevant factors
When you hire a father’s rights lawyer, they can help you review these and other factors to determine what the court may consider fair custody, and how you can advocate for what you believe is right for your child.
What Are Common Issues Fathers Deal With in Family Court?
Fathers can deal with unique issues in family courts, including unfair assumptions about their abilities and willingness to be fathers. The other parent may point to longer work hours or certain types of employment to prove that a father doesn’t have enough time or the disposition to parent their child in a joint custody arrangement.
The other parent may even make false accusations to try to limit the parental rights of a father. It’s important that fathers protect their interests with experienced legal representation. Our team is well respected in the Robertson County Circuit Court and familiar with their procedures. We can confidently advocate for you.
FAQs
What Rights Do Fathers Have in Tennessee?
Fathers and mothers have the same parental rights in Tennessee. This includes the right to make important choices for their children and the right to support and care for them. Both parents also have the right to request custody and/or child support. The court does not have a gender preference when determining custody, but only considers the child’s best interests. Unfair custody arrangements are often the result of failing to have strong legal representation.
Why Do I Need to Hire a Father’s Rights Lawyer in Tennessee?
A father’s rights lawyer in Tennessee helps protect your fundamental parental rights as a father. If you are not married, a Springfield, TN father’s rights attorney can help you establish paternity so you can legally request custody. During a divorce or separation child custody case, an attorney fights for fair custody arrangements. This may include showing how the other parent is unfit to care for your child, or disproving false allegations about you. An attorney fights for your family’s future.
Can a Mother Discontinue the Rights a Father Has as a Parent in Tennessee?
No, a mother cannot discontinue a father’s parental rights in Tennessee. Instead, a mother can petition the court to restrict a father’s parental rights or potentially even terminate those rights. However, this petition requires significant proof of actions that endanger the mental and physical health of a child for the court to decide to terminate a father’s rights. Less-severe actions could result in minor changes to custody. An attorney can help you navigate these cases.
Reach Out to Our Firm for Help With Father’s Rights in Springfield
The right legal support can make a significant difference in your case. Reach out to Mathis, Bates & Klinghard PLLC today to schedule a consultation and let us help.
