Helping individuals and families in East Tennessee since 2003 to address the things that matter most

Trusted Child Custody Lawyers In Sevierville

When you are facing a divorce involving minor children or a custody dispute, you need to know how your child’s care and parenting time will be handled. An experienced Sevierville child custody attorney can help you understand your rights, address your concerns and develop a parenting plan that protects your child’s best interests.

At White & White, Attorneys at Law, we bring more than 23 combined years of experience to custody and other family law matters throughout Sevier County, Blount County, Knox County and surrounding counties. We approach each case with both the legal and personal stakes in mind, providing practical guidance and focused representation.

How Is Child Custody Determined In Tennessee?

In Tennessee custody cases, judges consider which arrangement best serves the child. The court typically supports arrangements that allow both parents to maintain an active role in their child’s upbringing when appropriate. This does not automatically mean equal parenting time.

What Factors Does The Court Consider?

The court may consider factors including:

Each parent’s role in meeting the child’s daily needs
Capacity of each parent to provide care
Ability of each parent to provide food, clothing, medical care and education
The child’s bond with each parent and the continuity of those relationships
The importance of stability in the child’s life
The preference of a child who is 12 or older
Employment schedule of each parent and its effect on parenting time

A child’s preference does not decide the case. Tennessee law does not give either parent an automatic custody preference based on gender.

Our attorneys can help you address custody disputes in the Sevier County Chancery and Circuit Courts and in courts handling family and juvenile matters in Knox County and Blount County.

Creating A Parenting Plan Together

In qualifying Tennessee cases involving minor children, the court generally incorporates a permanent parenting plan into the final order. Despite its name, you can modify the plan when circumstances warrant a change.

Your parenting plan establishes the terms of your child’s care, including:

Residential parenting schedules
Holidays and vacations
Transportation
Major decision-making responsibilities
Child support

If you and your co-parent agree on these issues, we can help you develop a plan that fits your family. When an agreement is not possible, we can represent you in court and ask the judge to resolve the disputed issues.

When Child Custody Arrangements Change

Your custody order may need to be modified when circumstances have changed significantly and a different arrangement would serve your child’s best interests. Changes may involve your child’s needs, your ability to provide care or your existing parenting schedule.

Parental relocation has additional requirements. Under Tennessee law, special rules generally apply when you plan to move outside Tennessee or more than 50 miles from your co-parent’s residence. You generally must provide at least 60 days’ advance notice, and your co-parent may have an opportunity to object.

If a move or another significant change affects your parenting plan, our attorneys can help you understand your options and seek an appropriate modification.

Why Choose Us?

With over 23 combined years of experience helping clients in Sevierville and East Tennessee manage their family law matters with confidence and peace of mind, we can help you navigate your custody case using practical solutions. As a mother, son and daughter team, we bring a personal understanding of how important family relationships are and how deeply custody concerns can affect everyone involved.

Our commitment is to give compassionate advice and focused representation that suits your family’s specific needs. As your legal ally, we will help you protect your parental rights while working toward a solution that supports the best interests of your child.

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Custody

Child custody cases can involve questions about parenting time, decision-making and your rights as a parent. Here are answers to some common questions about Tennessee child custody.

What is the difference between a primary residential parent and an alternate residential parent?

Your permanent parenting plan establishes the residential parenting schedule and identifies the primary residential parent (PRP) and alternate residential parent (ARP) where applicable. The PRP generally has the greater share of residential parenting time, while the ARP has parenting time according to the schedule in the plan.

	Primary Residential Parent	Alternate Residential Parent
Residential time	Generally has the greater share of residential parenting time	Has parenting time according to the parenting plan
Parenting plan	Follows the schedule established by the court	Follows the schedule established by the court
Decision-making	May share responsibility for major decisions affecting the child	May share responsibility for major decisions affecting the child

What is the difference between legal and physical custody in Tennessee?

Legal custody generally concerns major choices about a child’s education, healthcare and other important areas of the child’s life. Physical custody generally determines where your child lives and how you and your co-parent share residential parenting time.

In Tennessee, the parenting plan establishes these arrangements, including residential schedules and each parent’s responsibilities.

Can you deny parenting time because your co-parent owes child support?

No. You may not withhold court-ordered parenting time simply because your co-parent has not paid child support. Child support and parenting time are separate legal obligations.

If you are denied parenting time, do not stop child support payments in response. Instead, you can ask the court to enforce the parenting order. Depending on the circumstances, enforcement may include contempt proceedings.

Does turning 12 give a child a choice in custody decisions?

No, but the court considers the preference of a child after reaching age 12. It does not give your child the final say in custody matters.

The court may also consider the views of a younger child at its discretion. The judge makes the final custody decision based on the circumstances of the case.

Do mothers automatically get physical custody in Tennessee?

No. You do not automatically receive physical custody because you are the mother. Tennessee law does not favor either parent based on gender. The court considers the circumstances of the case when determining the appropriate parenting arrangement.

How can you modify an existing child custody order in Tennessee?

You can seek a custody modification by showing the court that your situation has materially changed since it issued the current order. A material change does not have to be something extreme, but it must be significant enough to justify reconsidering custody or parenting arrangements.

Common reasons may include a parent’s relocation, concerns about a parent’s stability, interference with parenting time or a substantial decline in either parent’s ability to care for the child. If significant changes have occurred since the current order, the court will then decide whether a new custody arrangement would serve the child’s best interests.

Can grandparents get visitation rights in Tennessee?

Your child’s grandparents may be able to petition for grandparents’ visitation rights in certain circumstances under Tennessee law. They do not automatically have visitation rights.

Tennessee law sets requirements for these cases, including whether losing the relationship could cause substantial harm to the child. The court must also consider the child’s best interests.

Do you have to take a parenting education class?

Tennessee law generally requires parents to attend a parent education seminar when they establish a permanent parenting plan. The seminar must total at least four hours, although a court may waive the requirement for good cause. Local requirements may also apply in some counties.

Reach Out To Our Child Custody Lawyers Today For A Free Consultation

The sooner you understand where you stand, the better prepared you can be for the decisions ahead. Whether you are negotiating with your co-parent or preparing for a custody hearing, our attorneys can help you approach the matter with a clear understanding of your legal position and what comes next.