Tennessee Divorce Forms & Papers

Divorce Papers > Tennessee Divorce Forms & Papers

Many people are apprehensive about going through a divorce as it involves a lot of physical and mental exhaustion. Many are also of the opinion that the process for filing a divorce is expensive, complicated and very time consuming. However the process can be quick and painless if you are aware of the divorce procedures or refer to a good website or even consult a lawyer in this regard. Many on-line websites direct couple in the the right direction making the process not only simple but also less time consuming. Getting a divorce in Tennessee has become much easier with the advent of technology. Tennessee divorce papers and forms need to be filed keeping in mind the legal requirement of the state. One should also be careful while filling the documents before it is submitted at a county.

Residency requirement for Tennessee:

As per the Tennessee divorce laws, the spouse filing for divorce must have been a resident of Tennessee when the grounds for divorce arose. If the grounds for divorce arose outside the state and the petitioner resided outside of Tennessee, either spouse must have been a resident for six months prior to filing. The divorce may be filed for in any of the following counties: 1) the county in which both spouses lived at the time of their separation; 2) the county in which the respondent lives if he or she is a resident of Tennessee; or 3) the county in which the petitioner lives if the respondent is a non-resident of Tennessee. [Tennessee Code Annotated; Volume A, Title 36, Sections 36-4-104 and 36-4-105].

Grounds for divorce in the state of Tennessee:

The no-fault grounds for divorce in Tennessee are: 1) irreconcilable differences; or 2) living separate and apart without cohabitation for 2 years when there are no minor children. [Tennessee Code Annotated; Volume 6A, Title 36, Section 36-4-101].

Whereas a fault based divorce can be obtained on the grounds of: 1) adultery 2) felony conviction and imprisonment 3) addiction for drugs and /or alcoholism 3) bigamy 4) impotence 5) desertion for a year by will 6) living under constant fear or the life of the spouse being endangered 7) improper or unsafe marital conduct 8) inhuman treatment 9) making the spouse's life intolerable 10) neglect, abandonment or banning the spouse from home 11) making the spouse's life intolerable or 12) if the wife is pregnant during marriage by someone without the husband's knowledge.

People opting for the Do It Yourself divorce can either go for an agreed divorce or a default divorce. No matter what the reason for a divorce could be, a person can opt for either of the divorce.

An agreed divorce is when both the spouses agree on the terms and conditions of the divorce. The divorce is mutually agreed and is signed by both parties. Issues such as distribution of property, parental responsibilities and child custody is agreed upon in an agreed divorce. This kind of divorce is quite common among people and most people go for an agreed divorce to avoid hassles, court cases or even spending more on trials.

A default divorce on the other hand is not signed by both the parties. The entire divorce procedures and the process is carried by one of the spouses. The other spouse does not even sign the documents. He/she just defaults on the case. The spouse who files for divorce usually gets everything that is asked or listed in the divorce papers.

Procedure to file a divorce in the state of Tennessee:

The divorce process can sum-up in three steps for the state of Tennessee. This includes:

filing the divorce papers (make sure that you file the papers keeping in mind all the legal requirements of the state)
notify your spouse about you filing for divorce
attend the court hearings

USE THESE WORDS IN THE COURT DOCUMENTS FOR TENNESSEE

Use these exact words, using all capital letters: IN THE COURT OF COUNTY, TENNESSEE
Use these exact words, all in capital letters: PETITION FOR DIVORCE
Use the word "Petitioner". Be sure the "P" is capitalized.
Use the word "Respondent". Be sure the "R" is capitalized.
Use these exact words: FINAL DECREE OF DIVORCE. Be sure to use capital letters only when placed as the title of your final document.
Use the word "County" here.

For detailed divorce laws in Tennessee state, please see Tennessee Divorce Laws page.

Free Tennessee Divorce Forms for Download

Following divorce forms are free for download. Most of the forms are provided with instructions on how to fill the form. To download any of these divorce papers and forms just right click on the link and select "Save As...".

Tennessee Divorce Instructions

Tennessee Divorce Forms that both parties must sign

Forms & Documents

Tennessee Divorce Court Forms