Dawn’s Law Blog
News, Opinions, and Resources for Legal Professionals
Update your termination of parental rights pleadings with the new notice to incarcerated respondent birth parents effective July 1, 2024.
Effective for Petitions filed on or after July 1, 2024, the new notice is: T.C.A. § 36-1-113 (f) (1) A parent or guardian who is incarcerated at the time the parent is served with a petition to terminate parental rights shall receive notice that: (A) A...
A Foster Child’s Relationship to Foster Parents Acquires More Legal Significance As Time Passes
At 6 months, the foster child’s relationship with foster parents becomes a “significant relationship,” so it has weight when compared with other nonparental, pre-removal relationships. At 9 months, the foster parents don’t just get notice of hearings regarding the...
Adoption Assistance for Drug-Exposed Infants
Adoption assistance is a program to assist adoptive families of special needs children. The program is state-administered with the majority of funding from the federal government and a state contribution as well. The benefits are usually a monthly stipend and health...
Finalization – Six Months or Three Months?
Question: I understand that the waiting period for adoption, the time the child must live with the prospective adoptive family before the adoption can be finalized, has been reduced from 6 months to 3 months, correct? Answer: Not exactly. The waiting period is still 6...
Of course, you can adopt an adult in Tennessee!
This is not a debated or murky point of Tennessee law. You just can. I do 2 or 3 adult adoptions a year and I have for decades. See Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-1-117(j). (1) When the person sought to be adopted is eighteen (18) years of age or older, only the...
A Voice in Court for Foster Parents
Effective July 1, 2023 Big addition to foster parent's right to participate in hearings. T.C.A. § 37-2-415 (a)(17) - (Public Chapter 263)For some time, the court has been required to promptly notify foster parents of all court hearings regarding their foster...
Public outcry is needed for Tennessee to fix the Department of Children’s Services
Public outcry is needed for Tennessee to fix the Department of Children's Services - Opinion - By Dawn Coppock - Published by The Tennessean, The Knoxville News Sentinel & The Commercial Appeal - January 4, 2023. Click the blue link for the full text of Dawn's...
Dawn’s Deep Dive into Tennessee’s Best Interest Statute – The Cover Story in July / August TBA Journal
Read it here: - TBA Journal - July / August 2021
Tennessee’s best interest factors are now BETTER
On April 22, 2021, the Governor signed HB200/SB205, new factors for judges to consider to determine the best interest of a child in a termination of a parental rights case. My detailed analysis is HERE.
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