Laws on Pregnancy & Divorce in Tennessee
A person living in Tennessee who wishes to get married should be aware of its laws regarding pregnancy and divorce. Tennessee law covers issues that affect pregnancy such as abortion and contraception. The state permits divorce, but there are certain residency and other requirements that an individual must satisfy before obtaining a Tennessee divorce.
Other People Are Reading
-
Pregnancy: Abortion
-
Tennessee law imposes restrictions on abortions performed within the state. The state prohibits "partial birth abortions" (PBAs) that are knowingly carried out unless needed to save the mother's life. The law imposes a 48-hour waiting period for all abortions, and abortions on minors can only be done with the consent of a parent unless it is an emergency or the minor obtains a waiver from a judge.
Pregnancy: Contraception
-
Tennessee law imposes virtually no restrictions on access to contraceptives in the state. The state contains no prohibitions on the sale or distribution of contraceptives. Furthermore, most if not all minors seeking contraceptives in the state need not obtain consent from either parent before obtaining contraceptives.
-
Divorce: Residency Requirement
-
Tennessee law imposes residency requirements on individuals seeking a divorce from its courts. The divorce law requires that you have been a resident of the state for a minimum of six months before filing, but this requirement is waived when the reasons for the divorce happened in Tennessee. There is also the requirement to file all divorce papers in the county where at least one of the spouses lives.
Divorce: Grounds for Divorce
-
Tennessee provides numerous grounds for divorce. It considers adultery, a felony conviction, wife's pregnancy before marriage without knowledge of the husband, bigamy, being locked outside of the home, abandonment, neglect and alcoholism as specific grounds for divorce. Furthermore, the state law contains less specific reasons for divorce such as improper matrimonial conduct. Like other states, Tennessee lists "irreconcilable differences" as a "no-fault" ground for divorce. However, spouses can take advantage of this option only if there is no dispute between them as to any part of the divorce such as child custody, visitation and property distribution.
Divorce: Mediation
-
Tennessee law imposes mediation between the spouses in certain circumstances. If the judge believes there is a possibility that the spouses could be reconciled, then he may order a mandatory mediation between them.
-
