Child Custody & Visitation

Nashville Child Custody Lawyers

Child custody and visitation decisions are often the most difficult decisions to be made during a divorce, but a good child custody attorney can make a big difference in helping parents find creative solutions that work for their children.

• At the law office of Hewitt & Barry An Association of Attorneys our Nashville child custody lawyers have achieved excellent results for both mothers and fathers. If you're seeking a lawyer who will give you straight answers, is a skilled negotiator, and delivers aggressive representation in the courtroom, contact our law office to schedule an appointment.

In negotiating your initial child custody agreement, the most important consideration—and what we must prove—is what is in the child's best interests. Both parents will bring unique assets to the table and Tennessee child custody judges have become much more flexible about who can be awarded primary residential parent status, and how evenly time is distributed. Shared parenting is increasingly possible.

If a couple cannot reach an agreement, the court will require mediation. Your Hewitt & Barry attorney will be by your side throughout that process.

Changes in Child Custody and Visitation

Change is inevitable, and sometimes it's necessary, but changing a court order relating to child custody and visitation is not necessarily a simple matter. It's important that parents:

• Not accept an initial child custody agreement thinking they can change it later. There must be a good reason for a change, and a substantial and material change in circumstances.
• Not think that the court will go along with a young person's preference about where they will live just because they've turned 13 or14. The court does not make its decisions based upon what a teenager wants.

Your Hewitt & Barry child custody lawyer will work with you to prove that a change of residency is best because: the other parent is unfit, both parents and child agree to a change, the primary residential parent is moving away and the child wants to remain in the area, or for other reasons relating to the best interests of the child.

Leaving the State

If you divorced parent in Tennessee, you cannot simply decide to move away with your child to establish residency in another state. You must notify the other parent and give them specific information about the move, including the reason for the move. The other parent may then petition the court to disallow your move, or to demand that the child stay in the state.

The Nashville child custody attorneys at Hewitt & Barry represent parents who are negotiating or litigating an initial child custody case, or seeking changes in current child custody orders to protect their parental rights and their child's best interests. We don't shy away from complex cases. Contact our law office to schedule an appointment.