Divorce, Annulment and Alimony

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Divorce Rules for Pregnant People

This bill allows Tennessee courts to proceed with divorce cases even if one party is pregnant, provided both parties agree on paternity or the court can determine it and a parenting plan and child support order are in place.

What This Bill Does

• Allows courts to continue with divorce proceedings when someone is pregnant.
• Requires that both parties agree on whether the other party is the parent of an unborn child.
• Requires the creation of a parenting plan and child support order if applicable.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who are getting divorced in Tennessee.
• Courts handling divorce cases in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

Parenting Plan

A plan that outlines how parents will care for their children after a divorce, including decisions about where the child lives and when each parent can see the child.

Child Support Order

An order from a court telling one parent to give money to another parent to help pay for the needs of their child.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if both parties cannot agree on who is the parent of an unborn child.
• It's unclear how this law will be applied in specific situations involving pregnancy and divorce.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1770
By Lamar

HOUSE BILL 2584
By Chism
HB2584
011232
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36,
relative to divorce.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36, Chapter 4, is amended by adding
the following new section:
A divorce proceeding must not be stayed or delayed due to the pregnancy of one
(1) of the parties if the court can determine or both parties can agree to stipulate as to:
(1) Whether the other party is the parent of the unborn child; and
(2) If applicable, the entry of an agreed parenting plan and child support
order.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.