Plain answers to the questions on your mind.

An uncontested divorce with no minor children often resolves for a flat fee of $1,800 to $3,500. A simple contested divorce with one or two disputed issues typically runs $8,000 to $18,000. High-asset and high-conflict matters can range from $25,000 to $100,000 or more depending on how litigated they become. We will give you a realistic budget range after your consultation and update it as the case develops. We do not bill you for surprises we could have anticipated.

Tennessee requires a 60-day waiting period for divorces without minor children and a 90-day waiting period when minor children are involved. Uncontested matters can finalize as soon as the waiting period expires. Contested matters in Davidson County typically take 12 to 18 months from filing to final order, though complex cases take longer.

Most contested custody matters in Davidson and Williamson counties resolve within 9 to 14 months. We can usually obtain a temporary parenting order within 60 to 90 days of filing. If the case proceeds to a full custody trial, the hearing itself may take one to four days of court time, scheduled months in advance.

Fewer than one in ten of our family-law matters reach trial. We prepare every case as if it will, which is often why it does not. When trial is necessary, we try cases in Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, and Sumner counties regularly.

Uncontested stepparent adoptions often finalize in 90 to 120 days from filing. If the biological parent contests the termination of parental rights, the timeline extends significantly, typically 9 to 24 months. We will give you an honest assessment of what type of proceeding you are facing after reviewing the facts.

Tennessee uses the Income Shares Model, which looks at both parents' adjusted gross incomes and applies a schedule based on the child's needs and the parenting time split. The calculation also accounts for health insurance premiums, extraordinary educational expenses, and parenting time above a certain threshold. We use the official state calculator and can show you different scenarios in the consultation.