Rebecca Ketchie; Shareholder at Wilson Worley, Listed as Rule 31 Family Law Mediator
Wilson Worley attorney, Rebecca Ketchie is now listed as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 family law mediator. Being listed requires specialized training in conflict management, negotiation, and psychology, as well as knowledge of Tennessee family law. Mediation, which is required in Tennessee in most family law cases, helps parties craft their own resolutions to sensitive problems. It usually results in less conflict, quicker outcomes, and lower legal costs for all sides in a case. Rebecca is pleased to be able to offer this service to those going through a divorce, child custody case, or other family law matter. “In my
Child Custody during the Coronavirus Pandemic
For the last five months, COVID-19 has changed most people’s “normal” routines. For a parent, keeping their child safe and healthy during the pandemic is a major concern and change, and parents want to safeguard their child and themselves from the virus. Nonetheless, a divorced or separated parent has an added pressure of coordinating COVID-19 precautionary measures with the child’s other parent. In an ideal situation, where divorced or separated parents have a healthy relationship, they likely can agree on protections and trust one another to exercise those precautions. Further, if a child is more susceptible to complications from the virus,
Recent Change to Tennessee Statute Governing Retirement and Pension Plans Impacts Divorce Cases
An important change impacting divorce proceedings in Tennessee has been made to the Tennessee statute which governs retirement and pension plans. As of July 1, 2015, T.C.A. § 26-2-105(d)(1) now provides that "a local government that establishes and maintains for its employees a qualified plan, and the qualified plan's administrator, shall honor claims under a qualified domestic relations order, if the order relates only to the provisions of marital property rights for the benefit of the former spouse of the qualified plan's participant. "This is a significant change in the area of public employee law and domestic relations as, prior
Modification of Alimony in Futuro
Parties to divorce proceedings cannot predict the future with greater ability than others. Despite thoughtful planning, circumstances can change materially. In Tennessee, modification of alimony depends on the type of alimony awarded and on the specific facts of each case. Three of the four types of alimony may be modified under certain circumstances: alimony in futuro, rehabilitative alimony and transitional alimony. One type of alimony cannot be modified under any circumstances: alimony in solido. According to Tennessee law, alimony in futuro is modifiable upon a showing of a “substantial and material change of circumstances.” In a recent case, Willet v. Taeubel, the Tennessee