Your Relationship With Your Children Matters — We Fight to Protect It
Losing time with your kids is one of the most painful things a parent can face. We help West Tennessee families navigate custody disputes, build strong parenting plans, and get through family court with clarity and confidence — backed by more than 40 years of experience in Madison County and across the region.
What Child Custody Actually Means in Tennessee
Tennessee family courts use the term "parenting plan" to describe the formal arrangement that governs where a child lives and how decisions are made for them. Understanding the two components of that plan is the first step toward advocating effectively for your family.
Legal custody refers to decision-making authority — who has the right to make major choices about a child's education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. Residential placement refers to where the child physically lives and how parenting time is divided between the parents. Courts can assign these components differently: one parent may have primary residential placement while both share legal decision-making authority, or one parent may hold both.
Most custody and parenting time disputes come down to these two questions. Knowing the distinction helps you understand what you're actually asking the court to decide — and where your strongest arguments lie.
How Tennessee Courts Decide What's Best for Your Child
Every custody decision in Tennessee is governed by the best interest of the child standard. The court doesn't start from a presumption that either parent should have more time — it examines a range of factors and weighs them based on the specific circumstances of your family.
Factors Tennessee courts commonly consider include:
- The child's existing routine and adjustment to home, school, and community
- Each parent's ability to provide a stable, consistent environment
- The quality of the child's relationship with each parent
- Each parent's willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent
- The child's own preference, when the child is of sufficient age and maturity
- Any history of domestic violence, abuse, or substance use
Presenting these factors effectively requires preparation. We help you organize the evidence that supports your case, anticipate what the other side will argue, and walk into the courtroom ready — not guessing.
Prior Education and Legal Experience
After obtaining her law degree from the University of Florida, Ms. Davies served as an Assistant State Attorney in Miami, Florida. After trying numerous homicide cases, Ms. Davies distinguished herself and was promoted to serve as a Division Chief. During her five years under the guidance of Janet Reno, she honed her trial skills, maintaining integrity and deep care for her clients. After that, Ms. Davies served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Washington, D.C., where she prosecuted public corruption and gang homicide cases for ten years. During her fifteen years as a prosecutor, Ms. Davies tried more than 100 jury trials to a verdict.
After taking some time away from law practice to teach law school in Kaliningrad, Russia as a Fulbright Scholar, Ms. Davies returned to the United States to study at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government under the tutelage of David Gergen. Upon graduation, she was honored with the designation of Littauer Fellow in recognition of her leadership and academic excellence.
Ms. Davies returned to Washington, D.C., after obtaining her master’s degree to work on a class action lawsuit against “Big Tobacco.” Shortly after that, anxious to return home to be closer to her family, Ms. Davies decided to return to Florida. Upon moving to Orlando, she focused on helping people in the civil arena. After training under several top-notch personal injury lawyers, Ms. Davies decided to open her firm, where she could take Personal Injury and Family Law cases and give her clients the white-glove treatment they deserved.
Committed to Excellence in Family Law and Personal Injury Law
As founder and manager of The Davies Law Firm, LLC, Ms. Davies gives her clients her undivided attention. Through her thorough preparation and legal tenacity, she has garnered the respect of colleagues and judges. She is fair-minded and solutions-oriented, always trying to serve her clients well. Clients appreciate her straightforward approach in explaining legal options and strategizing to obtain the best possible outcome for them.
Ms. Davies is always prepared to protect her client’s rights and represent their best interests. As a trained collaborative lawyer, she embraces the idea that many family law problems are handled most effectively at the negotiating table, where the parties can craft an agreement that best serves their purposes. However, as a skilled trial attorney, she also understands that some cases will only achieve optimal results through a trial.
Although we have handled hundreds of Family Law and Personal Injury cases, we understand that each comes with unique circumstances. That is why we listen carefully to each client’s story and help prioritize objectives before creating a strategy to help them achieve their goals.
At The Davies Law Firm, LLC, we understand how going through a divorce or suffering a severe injury in an accident can leave you with many questions and make you nervous about your future. We will be glad to review the facts of your case, explain your options, and help you take the first steps toward starting your new life.
What We Handle in Child Custody and Parenting Plan Cases
Initial Custody and Parenting Plan Disputes
When parents separate or divorce, the court requires a parenting plan before finalizing the case. If the parents cannot agree, the judge decides. We help parents build a proposed plan grounded in the child's best interest — one that reflects their relationship with their children and holds up in court.
Legal Custody and Decision-Making Authority
Disagreements over who controls decisions about education, medical care, or religion are among the most contested issues in family court. We help clients understand their rights, document their involvement in their child's life, and make the case for the decision-making arrangement that serves their family.
Residential Placement and Parenting Time Schedules
How parenting time is divided affects your child's daily life and your relationship with them. Whether you're seeking primary residential placement or a balanced shared schedule, we work to build a parenting time arrangement that is realistic, stable, and in your child's best interest.
Child Support
Child support in Tennessee is calculated based on each parent's income, the division of parenting time, and certain child-specific expenses. We handle child support determinations as part of the broader custody process and make sure our clients understand how the numbers are reached and what their obligations are.
Custody Modification for Existing Orders
Circumstances change. A job relocation, a change in the child's school situation, a parent's remarriage, or a shift in the child's needs can all affect whether an existing parenting plan still makes sense. Tennessee law allows a court to modify a custody order when a material change in circumstances has occurred since the original order was entered. We handle modification petitions for parents who need their order to reflect where things actually stand today — not where they were years ago.
40+ Years of Family Court Experience in West Tennessee
Family court has its own rhythms, its own expectations, and its own culture — and Madison County is no different. We have represented West Tennessee parents in custody disputes for decades. We know how local family courts operate, what judges look for, and how to prepare our clients for what to expect at every stage of the process.
That experience matters most when you're sitting across from the other parent in a hearing and the outcome affects how much time you spend with your children. We prepare you thoroughly — for the questions you'll be asked, the documents the court will review, and the arguments the other side may raise. You won't walk into that courtroom without knowing what's coming.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Custody in Tennessee
Will I lose my car if I file Chapter 7?
Not in most cases. Tennessee's vehicle exemption protects up to $3,500 in equity in one motor vehicle. If you owe more on your car loan than the vehicle is worth — which is common — there is no unprotected equity for the trustee to pursue. As long as you continue making payments, you can generally keep the vehicle.
How long does Chapter 7 take in Tennessee?
For straightforward cases filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court at South Highland in Jackson, the typical timeline from filing to discharge is three to six months. More complex cases can take longer, but most consumer Chapter 7 filings move through the Western District on a predictable schedule.
What debts does Chapter 7 discharge?
Chapter 7 discharges most unsecured debts — credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, utility arrears, and similar obligations. It does not discharge student loans (in most circumstances), child support, alimony, recent tax debts, or debts arising from fraud or intentional wrongdoing.
What is the Chapter 7 means test in Tennessee?
The means test compares your household income to the Tennessee median for your family size. If your income is at or below the median, you qualify automatically. If it's above, a secondary calculation determines whether your disposable income — after allowable expenses — still permits a Chapter 7 filing. We review this calculation with you at no cost during your free consultation.
Can I file Chapter 7 if I've filed bankruptcy before?
Yes, but timing restrictions apply. If you received a Chapter 7 discharge previously, you must wait eight years from the date of that filing before receiving another Chapter 7 discharge. Different waiting periods apply if your prior case was a Chapter 13. We can review your history and confirm your eligibility during your consultation.
Do I have to go to court for Chapter 7?
You will attend one brief meeting — the 341 meeting of creditors — which is conducted by the bankruptcy trustee, not a judge. It typically lasts 10 minutes or less. Most Chapter 7 filers never appear before a bankruptcy judge. We attend the 341 meeting with you and prepare you in advance so you know exactly what to expect.
Take the First Step Today
Talk to a Child Custody Attorney in Jackson, TN
If you're facing a custody dispute, working through a divorce that involves children, or need to modify an existing parenting plan, we're ready to help. Call our office at 731-423-1888 — available 24 hours a day — or text us at 731-244-2868. We serve families throughout West Tennessee and Madison County, and we're here when you need us.