Family Law
Divorce, Child Custody and More For Clarksville, Tennessee
My name is Gregory D. Smith. I am a graduate of the prestigious Alliance Defense Fund’s National Litigation Academy (which is supported by such well-respected organizations as Focus on the Family and Prison Fellowship), and I actively practice in the area of family law.
Family law falls into four basic categories:
- Divorce
- Juvenile law
- Child support/visitation/adoption
- Wills
Since these areas are primarily state issues, the following statements are Tennessee-specific and may not apply in other states.
Divorce
Contrary to popular belief, nobody “wins” in divorce court. The only way to “win” in divorce court is not to go there in the first place and for both spouses to be just as happy at their death as they were on their wedding day. If this is not possible, experienced legal counsel is a must.
I have presented hundreds of divorces, both contested and uncontested, since 1988. I frequently use mediation to help couples resolve their divorce in a quick and amicable fashion. I also have worked extensively with service members who are facing a military divorce.
Juvenile Law
I am a former juvenile court referee and have authored a book on practice in Tennessee juvenile courts that is widely used throughout Tennessee. I co-authored another book on juvenile law and I lecture regularly on juvenile topics. Prior to leaving the American Bar Association due to its stance on abortion, I was twice the national chair of the ABA/YLD Juvenile Justice Committee. In 1991, I was nominated as the ABA’s Outstanding Juvenile Advocate in America. In 1994, I participated as a representative in a world conference on juvenile law at the United Nations.
Child Support/Visitation/Adoption
I actively handle cases involving child support/visitation/adoption. As a matter of fact, a key case that establishes how Tennessee calculates long term child support arrearages was established in one of my cases [State ex. rel. Vaughn v. Kaatrude, 21 SW3d 244 (Tenn. App. M.S. 2000)].
Wills
One of the most common questions in the area of family law is the need for a will. The Law Office of Gregory D. Smith will give away a simple will to Tennessee residents if the person leaves anything to any religious-based organization in the will.
Whether or not a person wants other services, The Law Office of Gregory D. Smith will give Tennessee residents a living will if requested free of charge. Speak with me by calling 931-647-1299.