Divorce is about more than ending a marriage. It’s about laying the foundation for a bright future for yourself and your children. That future may be difficult to imagine when your marriage is falling apart and the divorce process lies ahead of you. The choices you make now will affect how your divorce and the aftermath unfold. It's essential to work with an attorney who understands what you are going through and who can help you envision, and achieve, the future you want.

At Welty Law Office, we have been where you are—and we are committed to helping you get to where you need to be with your children as the focus of our process. Our capable, compassionate team will be with you every step of the way.

Navigating the Tennessee Divorce Process

Understanding a little about how divorce works in Tennessee will help to prepare you for the process. In order to file for divorce, either you or your spouse must have lived in the state for at least six months. Once you have filed, there is a minimum amount of time before your divorce can be granted: 60 days for couples without minor children, and 90 days for couples who have children under the age of 18. We believe being educated about the process gives one power, so during your initial consultation we walk you through the process of a divorce and how your specific situation fits into the court’s process.

A Tennessee divorce may be either contested or uncontested. Uncontested means that you and your spouse have reached an agreement on all issues in your divorce, such as division of property and debts, parenting time, and child support and all of the documents are filed with the court at the same time. A contested divorce is one in which the spouses disagree, or do not know right away, how certain issues should be resolved. In divorces involving minor children, those disagreements often center around residential responsibility and support. Unsurprisingly, contested divorces generally take longer than uncontested divorces.

Fortunately, most divorcing couples eventually reach a resolution in their divorce before they must go to trial, often through mediation, which is required in Tennessee divorces. If you and your spouse are able to come to an agreement on the terms of your divorce, your attorneys will prepare a permanent parenting plan and marital dissolution agreement, which will be incorporated into your divorce decree and signed by the judge.

Capable, Compassionate, Child-Centered Divorce Attorneys

We understand how much your children mean to you, and how important it is to protect them in your divorce. Attorney Rachel Welty is both a single parent and a family law attorney, and she shares your priorities. That is why Welty Law Office is a child advocacy-based practice. Our focus is on achieving what is in the best interest of your children: ensuring that they are shielded from conflict and have the care and resources they need to thrive in a safe environment.

Our team is committed to helping you resolve your divorce with as little unnecessary conflict as possible to minimize your stress, protect your children, preserve your resources, and allow you to co-parent effectively after divorce. We are skilled negotiators who have earned a reputation for finding creative solutions to difficult problems in divorce.

Of course, not every divorce can be resolved through negotiation; sometimes it is necessary to go to court in order to achieve a just outcome. The attorneys of Welty Law Office are also experienced litigators who are familiar with the courts in Davidson, Williamson and other Middle Tennessee counties. We are willing and prepared to take contested issues to trial when necessary to do what is best for our clients and their children. We also have years of experience in dealing with divorces with high conflict personalities. In all our cases, but especially with highly contested cases, we offer our clients advice in creating boundaries and communication strategies to minimize the amount of stress for themselves during a very stressful time.

Divorce isn’t easy. But you don’t have to go through it alone. We invite you to contact Welty Law Office to schedule a consultation to discuss your needs.