| The state of Tennessee takes the issue of child | | | | changing needs, minimize the child's exposure to |
| custody very seriously. Title 36 of the Tennessee | | | | harmful parental conflict, establish the authority and |
| Code contains the laws and guidelines that govern | | | | responsibility of each parent with regard to the child, |
| domestic relations issues. Chapter 6 of Title 36 | | | | and provide a process for dispute resolution. Parents |
| contains the specific information about custody and | | | | must include provisions and stipulations that deal with |
| visitation. Parents living in Tennessee must be familiar | | | | each of these, along with the information listed above, |
| with the information found in this part of the | | | | in their agreement. |
| Tennessee Code because their parenting plan or | | | | 3. Part 4 lists three ways that a parenting plan or |
| custody agreement will not be accepted by the court | | | | custody agreement can be accepted by the court. |
| unless it follows the proper procedures. Here is the | | | | The court will accept a plan if the parents agree on a |
| information from the Code that parents in Tennessee | | | | plan and submit it together to the court. If the parents |
| need to know as they make their plans and | | | | do not agree, the court has the authority to order them |
| agreements. | | | | to dispute mediation to try and work things out. If the |
| 1. Part 4 of Chapter 6 in Title 36 of the Tennessee | | | | parents are still not able to agree, each parent must |
| Code contains the information about parenting plans. In | | | | submit a proposed parenting plan to the court. The |
| this section of code, the state of Tennessee specifies | | | | judge will look at both plans and determine what the |
| what a parenting plan should contain. Parents must | | | | agreement will be. Either parents' plan may be |
| create a parenting plan that is in the best interest of | | | | accepted, parts of both plans may be included, or the |
| the child. And, the plan must include the allocation of | | | | judge has the option to make an entire new plan. Once |
| parenting responsibilities and the establishment of a | | | | the court makes the plan into a custody order, the |
| residential schedule. | | | | parents must follow it or they can be held in contempt |
| 2. The purpose of a parenting plan, as defined in this | | | | of court. |
| same section of code, is: to provide for the child's | | | | |