Divorce in the State of Tennessee and COVID-19

 There is no question that the COVID-19 epidemic has led to unprecedented stress among married couples.  Reasons for divorce during this crisis can include:

  1. Quarantining together leading to the uncovering of previously unresolved relationship issues.  
  2. Conflicts over whether to vaccinate or not to vaccinate.
  3. Unequal distribution of household responsibilities including, but not limited to, childcare and housework.
  4. Money problems caused by lack of employment during the pandemic.

All states make allowances for a no-fault divorce. However, other states, such as Tennessee, allow their citizens to seek a fault-based divorce, where one spouse alleges that the other’s unacceptable conduct led to the effective end of the marital relationship.

The following are reasons for a fault-based divorce in Tennessee that the pandemic might cause.  

  1. Desertion: If one spouse willfully or maliciously deserts the other spouse without a reasonable cause, they can request this ground for divorce. Be prepared to provide evidence showing 1) the amount of time desertion occurred 2) the complete cutoff of communication.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, desertion appears to be occurring quite frequently when the stresses become overwhelming and spouses see no other way out of a seemingly untenable situation.  
  1. Attempted Murder of the Other Spouse: The attempted murder must be malicious and deliberate for it to be grounds for a divorce, for example, poisoning the other spouse.  While extreme, COVID-19 is creating the perfect storm for murder or attempted murder within marriage to occur.  With people being forced to spend extended time together in close quarters, tempers can run high, and previously unprecedented violent behavior can occur.  
  1. Refusal to move: Courts will allow a divorce to a spouse residing in Tennessee if the other spouse intentionally refuses to move to the state for two years. The spouse asking for the divorce must also show that they did not cohabitate as spouses for two years. The spouse must also show that the couple does not have minor children together.  This type of divorce occurs more frequently during the COVID-19 epidemic because individuals have to take jobs within other states.  Some spouses cannot or will not move with their spouses, leading to the breakdown of marital relationships.
  1.  Cruel and inhuman treatment: This category includes a wide range of conduct and mistreatment. It can be verbal and physical assaults, domestic violence, failure to provide a suitable living condition, and more.  Spouses during the COVID-19 pandemic often find themselves literally at each other’s throats, unwilling or unable to deal with one another any further.  This can lead to unusual behavior and ultimately the breakdown of the marital relationship.
  1. Alcohol or drug abuse: Habitual drunkenness or abuse of narcotic drugs of one spouse that the other remained unaware of before getting married. With so many people out of work or stuck at home with children, alcohol and drug abuse is running rampant in American homes.  As a result, many marriages are suffering and ultimately disintegrating.
  1. Indignities: For a divorce to be granted on indignities, one must provide evidence that one’s spouse has consistently acted with rudeness, hate, abuse, and neglect to render one’s married life untenable.  Many couples, finding themselves together for seemingly endless periods of time because of the COVID-19 epidemic, are often faced with personality traits of their spouse that they previously overlooked.  This can lead to unkindness and indignities occurring between spouses, resulting in marriages ending.
  1. Abandonment occurs when one spouse has abandoned the other out of their home and refuses to support the ousted spouse.  Additionally, when faced with the various spousal issues detailed above, many spouses are also often simply leaving and starting life over elsewhere.  In both cases, divorce is a viable alternative.  

If your marriage is facing unprecedented issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and you have questions regarding filing for divorce, contact Logan-Thompson, P.C at 423-476-2251 or find their website online at loganthompsonlaw.com. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Advantages of Dry Cleaning Versus Traditional Washing Machines

Laundering and dry cleaning are both processes designed to clean clothes. Laundering, the more traditional cleaning practice, is a water-based cleaning process that usually utilizes a washer/dryer combination with soap and/or detergent. In contrast, dry cleaning does not utilize water but instead employs a comprehensive process that cleans the clothing much more effectively. While both processes have their purposes, dry cleaning is overall much better for maintaining the structural integrity of clothes, especially the delicate ones. While water is not the main cleansing agent in dry cleaning, the process does involve the use of liquids for stain and soil removal. Much like traditional laundering, dry cleaning employs a specific machine in which the garments are placed for cleaning. After being put in the machine, the machine is started and gently rotates the clothes in the basket while a steady stream of clean solvent is pumped into the system. Simultaneously, the dirty solvent is p...
Read more

Land Surveying: Various Aspects of the World's Second Oldest Profession

Image
Land surveying is defined as a method of scientifically and/or legally determining the location of points on the earth’s surface. It also includes establishing the distance between those points and the angles created by them. Often referred to as the world’s second-oldest profession, land surveying integrates elements of engineering, geometry, law, math, and physics. Legally, land surveying determines boundaries. Furthermore, it establishes where property lines begin and where they end. The accuracy of land boundaries depends on a society’s particular regard for the state, county, city, and private property line borders.  (1)   Modern-day land surveyors use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for accurate point positioning. GPS works through satellites that send signals to receivers kept on surveyors’ tripods. The data is then downloaded into computer software, allowing the surveyor to know the exact position of a point within the time span of a few minutes.  (2) Th...
Read more
Image
The Federal Government, the Partial Government Shutdown, and the Ordinary Citizen Would Daily Life Really Change if The Federal Government, As We Know It, Disappeared? By Katherine Fry, CEO/President Mediafy Communications Group Years ago, while a student in college, I learned about the various Antitrust Acts that redefined the power of the Federal Government. I also learned that, originally, the Federal Government had three strictly defined purposes. A united military A united currency The elimination of tariffs between the states However, the rise of commerce led to to the rise of monopolies, arguably (1) It is the compilation of these three Acts that led to the formation of the Federal Government as we know it today. While as a Feminist, I appreciate the rules and regulations that protect women and other minorities in the workplace, as a business owner I feel the burden of taxation that hits my business every other week from the Federal Government. As a citizen,...
Read more