Get TN JC-38 - Shelby County 2008-2024

Tennessee parents' Bill of Rights Unimpeded telephone calls at least twice a week. Access to uncensored mail. Right to receive health information as soon as possible, and within 24 hours for a hospitalization, severe illness or death of the child. Right to receive copies of the child's school records.

Filing for Child Custody in Tennessee: 5 Steps Step 1: Determine your court. Either you or the other parent must have lived in Tennessee for at least six months before you can begin a case. ... Step 2: Complete your paperwork. ... Step 3: Finalize your forms. ... Step 4: Hand in your paperwork. ... Step 5: Service.

File a Petition to Terminate Child Support: The paying parent must file a petition with a family court requesting the termination of their child support obligation. This petition should include evidence that the child has reached the age of majority or has met the criteria for termination.

The process for obtaining parental visitation rights is similar to that of other child custody matters. If the parents can agree on a plan, the court may approve it without the necessity of litigation. This type of plan should address a number of issues: The frequency and length of visitation.

In Tennessee, a court may terminate parental rights based on abandonment if there is clear and convincing evidence that a parent willfully failed to support the child, willfully failed to make reasonable or consistent support payments, or willfully failed to visit the child for a period of four consecutive months.

Emergency custody order If your child is in danger of being harmed or removed from the state, you can ask for temporary emergency custody through a Petition for Order of Protection. (Check the box for "temporary custody" on page 4.) Shortly after filing the petition, you'll appear in court for a hearing.

As a general descriptive term, “standard visitation” in Tennessee means a non-primary residential parent enjoys parenting time every other weekend during the school year, 2 weeks in the Summer, and sharing equally all other holidays throughout the year including Christmas holidays, Spring Break, and Fall Break.

To access these rights, you must first establish your paternity of the child. Then, you can petition the court for child custody or parenting time — even if the child's biological mother does not agree with you to have these rights.