Lebanon Legal Issues Blog

Divorce rates in the United States are on the decrease among younger married couples. This generation is waiting longer to get married, with the couple often living together first. This contributes to the decrease as couples may be more mature and know each other better before entering into marriage. There is one group where the divorce rate is on the rise. The divorce rate for those over 50 is increasing at a very rapid rate for couples in Tennessee and around the nation.

Gray divorces, as they are known, doubled to 10 per 1,000 in 2017 from five per 1,000 in 1990. For couples over 65 the rate tripled from two divorces per 1,000 to six per 1,000 in the same time frame. While the impact of divorce can be devastating at any age the financial implications for older couples can be significant due to older couples often being past their peak earning years. It can cost significantly more to maintain two homes than one. It is also important to remember that when it comes to asset distribution, all retirement dollars are not created equal.

When an officer pulls you over for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, it can be stressful and somewhat frightening. In that moment, you may not know what your options are. Do you have to comply with an officer's demands? Do you have to submit to a breath test? The answers to these questions may surprise you.

Complying with an officer's demands during a traffic stop is something that seems non-negotiable. It is true, to a point. You do still have rights, though. For instance, you do have the right to refuse sobriety testing, in any of its forms. Just know that there may be consequences for doing so.

Summer is the season for enjoying time with friends, laying back and occasionally drinking a little bit too much. Getting behind the wheel of a car if one has had a few drinks can lead to a DUI or worse. A person may not be aware of how alcohol can affect one's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle and tragic accidents can be the result. Such accidents can have a serious impact on one's future in Tennessee.

A recent accident left three teenagers in serious condition when the car they were riding in collided with another vehicle. It was very early on a weekday morning and the car the teens were riding in turned left into the path of an oncoming vehicle. The oncoming vehicle struck the car on the right side in the middle, resulting in a T-bone collision.

Being arrested and charged with a sex crime is a serious offense that can leave a person feeling frightened and overwhelmed. A new Tennessee law may serve to add to those feelings of malaise. A law that went into effect on July 1 states that a person convicted of juvenile sex crimes is barred from living with his or her own minor children.

A father in Tennessee had to tell his 7-year-old daughter that he had to move out. He had been accused of inappropriate touching by his stepdaughter seven years ago. Though he denied it and said it stemmed from a disciplinary action imposed by him and his wife, his attorney recommended that he accept a plea deal. The prosecution was asking for a sentence of 18 years. He accepted the plea deal and got probation and has had no issues with the law in the past seven years.