[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},"mediaId",6239539,"mediaKeyId","3337431-d0dd2d0878fb4d0eaab3df8ab9450b95","parentId",3337431,"title","Judge grants divorce, allocates vehicles and debts and names mother primary residential parent after contested final hearing","audioSeconds",5640,"startMs",7560000,"endMs",13200000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3337431-d0dd2d0878fb4d0eaab3df8ab9450b95&start=7560&end=13200","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3337431-d0dd2d0878fb4d0eaab3df8ab9450b95/thumbnail_7560000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6239539/Tennessee/Judge-grants-divorce-allocates-vehicles-and-debts-and-names-mother-primary-residential-parent-after-contested-final-hearing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6239539-8cb00a31e9323325384941120542c024/orig.mp4?Expires=1770716477&Signature=M8aS0EqBFby3s21TR3pL8aNJHxjHlgchJMAxskXVvz0mZ6wkexI~xDd1fOMt~mTUS4sAm3-YmLKd43-iagP1P2Fiu7welSr8CPfz46fwWjVr5qbIPpI7gx9mAL~HJIU2qBVg4rYHENmoYPtzzhDAo~g9YyV0-1eM8H-b3P5X0LDqhT2TiARzHcx2DFcqaeplP~clBTKjATj4BkYa270xAZE2YOe1Czv-ASiPRhGirVwxq2w-kE~WXbs~HZs6wuO2NOIDAWkENp9VtstyReXHsuVRlfPzNW7VvNELiNOmwZxhWdV3yvsAoLXOHy5M7ZpQ3enVoog5O~~DZY6MkRsVaQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-05-15T22:07:48Z","article","A Tennessee judge entered a final divorce judgment on Wednesday after a contested final hearing that included testimony alleging domestic abuse, criminal incidents and concerns about a father's fitness to parent.

The court granted the wife's divorce petition, found the majority of relevant personal property allocations should offset debts that were in the wife's name, and awarded primary residential custody of the minor child to the mother. The judge also awarded the father one vehicle (a Ford Explorer) subject to its existing loan and directed the father to pay child support; the judge ordered the father to maintain health insurance and allowed a credit for the insurance premium when calculating support.

Why it matters: The ruling resolves custody, property and debt divisions in a dispute that included allegations of violence, possession of weapons in child-visible settings, and child-protective services inquiries. The court's custody determination turns on a weighing of statutory best-interest factors with a focus on the child's stability and safety.

What the court found
- Divorce: The court granted the wife a divorce on the ground of inappropriate mental conduct, noting testimony of repeated incidents of threats, physical altercations and uncontrolled drinking.
- Custody: The court found the mother to be the primary caregiver and resident parent and awarded primary residential custody of the child to her. The judge cited evidence presented about the father's conduct (including recordings admitted in evidence) and the recommendations in psychological evaluations submitted under Rule 35.
- Property and debts: The judge concluded that the four credit-card debts listed in the wife's name were marital debts that should be offset by awarding her several of the higher-value personal-property items (Chevy Avalanche, Yamaha motorcycle, 1990 Corvette, and the pop-up camper) so she could liquidate those assets to satisfy outstanding balances. The court also awarded the wife two handguns she acquired before the marriage and directed the father to keep an Explorer (subject to its loan). The engagement ring and specific firearms were declared separate property and returned to the person who acquired them prior to marriage.

Evidence and testimony
- Wife's testimony: The mother recounted repeated instances of physical and emotional abuse, alleged dangerous behavior involving firearms and intoxicated driving, and described a period of the father's heavy marijuana and alcohol use and aggressive conduct toward family members and animals. She played audio recordings the court admitted into evidence that included profane and threatening language by the father while the minor child was present.
- Father's testimony: The father acknowledged employment and income changes since separation, described his current employment in maintenance and provided account and asset information; he denied some of the most serious allegations or placed them in context.
- Third-party witness: A local minister testified to limited firsthand observations about the father's current living situation and to overheard details about a new partner and child at the father's residence.

Court's reasoning and orders
The judge applied the statutory two-step analysis for custody: assess statutory grounds and then the child's best interest. After weighing testimony, the court concluded the record supported the mother's fitness as the primary residential parent. The court also explained that the property award's purpose was practical: to give the mother assets she could convert in order to pay debts that were in her name.

Ending: The judge closed the final hearing by directing counsel to prepare the formal divorce judgment reflecting the allocations and custody determination. The father can move for post-judgment relief if he disputes the factual basis for particular allocations or seeks a modification on changed circumstances; the court said it had ruled on the record before it.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5-15-25 Dickson Chancery","oneSentenceSummary","After contested testimony including allegations of domestic violence and child-safety concerns, the court granted a divorce to the wife, awarded primary custody to the mother and ordered an allocation of vehicles and debts intended to offset marital liabilities.","taxTitle","Judge David D. Wolfe State of Tennessee, Judicial, Tennessee","taxId",66321,"location","Tennessee","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6239542,"Judge denies motion to dismiss in termination/adoption case, appoints guardian ad litem",720,1870000,2590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3337431-d0dd2d0878fb4d0eaab3df8ab9450b95&start=1870&end=2590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3337431-d0dd2d0878fb4d0eaab3df8ab9450b95/thumbnail_1870000.jpg","/articles/6239542/Tennessee/Judge-denies-motion-to-dismiss-in-terminationadoption-case-appoints-guardian-ad-litem","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6239542-af207e8aaa14238ba9663d4f360aa6a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770716477&Signature=PK22x9cKSfFYZN3-TzyE33tzoPblDlJznIa1YyQcR73fElM0LuFoA0PLs-PBC-P00b5VmT0lM0h~G9Wjz5nttjVzuOyxzcpIMyfu9q~b3ITcK5-6ttlvQMqpnC6HEFm-GfNJ6OULJibRNWJDM1K7AA4de8MJ-WA3kpBNVhcp2xtgUqM9srREHHE7ueFRBOkrfloexF9ebfZ93E3okvYdnKkQIDuZup9mvLlcIQRpVDEkWCwwkhz-QGqpKQrT5Hp4jvIfxAWTbZaUQ50DOB9fBhyyD-toDsHRp5QM2rSHT2MO9jeeAjboWh792gEl-XuVqKmCjBgIKbVn-ox2C6ABKA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Tennessee chancery court on Wednesday denied a defense motion to dismiss a combined petition for termination of parental rights and adoption and appointed a guardian ad litem to represent the child's interests.

The respondent sought dismissal on multiple legal grounds including an alleged failure to consult the Tennessee Putative Father Registry and an objection that a short marriage-to-filing interval made termination premature. The court found the registry notice had been filed timely and said statutory and best-interest questions were matters for a final hearing, not a pretrial dismissal.

Why it matters: Denying the motion preserves the petitioner's claims for full consideration at trial, and the appointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) ensures a court-appointed advocate will evaluate the child's welfare and present recommendations to the court before a final decision on termination or adoption.

What happened in court
- Motion to dismiss: Counsel for the respondent argued the petition failed to follow statutory requirements (citing TCA 36-1-113 and related registry rules) and that the week between the marriage and the filing prevented any meaningful bonding. The respondent also alleged the petitioners blocked the father's contact and sought an award of attorney fees.
- Petitioner response: Petitioners provided a registry acknowledgment filed within the statutory window and told the court the father had been served. They urged the court to reject early-dismissal arguments and proceed to a contested hearing.
- Court ruling: The judge concluded statutory compliance (registry notice) had been met and that matters such as bonding, parenting-plan compliance and 'unclean hands' were factual issues for trial. The judge denied the motion to dismiss and appointed Lane Coffinberry as the child's guardian ad litem; the appointment may be reassigned if a conflict is later identified.

Additional orders and next steps
- The court instructed the GAL to evaluate the child's best interests and report findings to the court. The court stated the GAL could request reassignment if she identified a conflict.
- The denial leaves the termination and adoption petition set for further proceedings; the court did not set a final hearing date at the time of the ruling.

Ending: With the motion denied and a GAL appointed, the matter proceeds toward a contested resolution where the factual record will determine statutory grounds for termination and whether adoption would serve the child's best interests.","In a contested termination and adoption matter, the court denied the respondent's motion to dismiss and appointed a guardian ad litem to represent the child's interests at trial.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":56,"_74":56},6239547,"Judge grants limited unsupervised Sunday visits for father but bars visits at his home until hazards cleared",10552,2888000,13440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3337431-d0dd2d0878fb4d0eaab3df8ab9450b95&start=2888&end=13440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3337431-d0dd2d0878fb4d0eaab3df8ab9450b95/thumbnail_2888000.jpg","/articles/6239547/Tennessee/Judge-grants-limited-unsupervised-Sunday-visits-for-father-but-bars-visits-at-his-home-until-hazards-cleared","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6239547-bf331b23269ea2f5d8e284b6ac0e392e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770716477&Signature=Nc9HB1HNCyNJcFecdk9TVyWQZVeLTksCMM9mMptlYFwsU8iFrhVHsnM92zCpm2Jnr1PjufQbPgkYVDpuDkPc7PvPBOCNtj47Uu36iZep8EhmwkpvnxJjsBaRGh3pNJ~HJss7paXkdkO2vbHOBS8NXkIuyWlMxJ8H93PEsFplVgPyGRStKOsCpBRoO6j74sypUpdyeCKmPw6pM9zs6NPhVIwRib9lAWsJoO9SL0GDax46E0JDZOH7o7HfE-rUdJUBujWmtFMWaHA6q44W-BAbA3UjoJ6PnKX~MKUNhVBAM35zDE8tAFgiVBZOsw6KbBTNp9hELvO-T73hn60wt6ir9g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A Dickson County judge on Wednesday granted wider unsupervised Sunday parenting time to Daryl Duffy but barred visitation at his home until several safety and behaviour conditions are met.

The judge's order lets Duffy continue a 9 a.m.-to-5 p.m. Sunday visit schedule but requires those visits to occur at his aunt Connie Russell's house rather than at Duffy's residence. The judge also ordered Duffy to remove hazardous debris from his yard within 15 days and to obtain commercial pest control spraying before the court would consider overnight visits at his home. The judge recommended, but did not mandate, a sleep study for Duffy because of instances where he fell asleep during FaceTime calls and visits.

Why it matters: The decision expands Duffy's time with his two youngest children while preserving court oversight of the child's safety. The judge said she's weighing child safety and the mother's concerns against the father's progress in anger-management and parenting classes. The judge described the decision as a step toward restoring fuller visitation if Duffy satisfies the conditions.

The hearing, which lasted several hours, featured testimony from both parents, the paternal aunt who acts as the supervisor of the visits and the guardian ad litem. The court heard documentary evidence and multiple FaceTime screenshots that the mother submitted showing the father asleep during video calls. The judge said the images and other testimony supported continuing oversight while recognizing improvement from the father's completion of services.

Key facts and orders
- Parenting time: The judge approved unsupervised visitation on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. but only at the supervisor Connie Russell's home, not at Duffy's residence. The supervisor need not remain within arm's reach during those visits, but she will be the designated caregiver if a babysitter is needed during the nine-hour period.
- Home cleanup: Duffy must remove or secure stacked boxes and debris from his rear yard and carport and otherwise make the house child-safe within 15 days so the court can inspect the home for hazards.
- Pest control: The judge ordered a certified commercial pest-control treatment (specifically to address brown recluse concerns reported in the home) before the court will permit overnight or home-based visits.
- Sleep study: The judge strongly recommended that Duffy pursue a medical sleep evaluation (not ordered) because of multiple instances of falling asleep during visits or FaceTime calls; a sleep-disorder diagnosis would be persuasive evidence for later modification requests.
- Review hearing: A review of the visitation plan was scheduled for July (court set an internal date) so the court can examine progress toward the above requirements and decide on next steps.

What the parents and others said
- Daryl Duffy: Testified he has completed anger-management and parenting classes and that the older children help with the younger ones; he asked the court for more time to build a normal parenting routine.
- Britney (miss) Duffy: The child's mother described safety concerns at Daryl's home, cited instances where Daryl did not respond promptly to messages about sick children and presented FaceTime screenshots showing him asleep while the children were present.
- Connie Russell (supervisor, aunt): Told the court the extended visits had been positive overall and that she was willing to continue supervising and to support Daryl's progress. She acknowledged she has occasionally seen Daryl doze but said she would wake him if that occurred.
- Guardian ad litem (Lynn Coffinberry): Recommended a gradual approach to unsupervised visits; expressed that progress had been made but that safety steps and monitoring were still warranted.

Court's reasoning and next steps
The judge said the record shows measurable progress on parenting and anger-management for Duffy but also documented incidents (sleeping during FaceTime and a disorderly home yard with stacked boxes and stored vehicles) that justify continuing protective measures. The judge framed the order as a conditional expansion: unsupervised time allowed at a caregiver's home while Duffy addresses safety and medical concerns at his residence. The judge said unsupervised home or overnight visits could be considered later if Duffy completes the cleanup, obtains a commercial pest treatment and provides evidence of safe, consistent caregiving (a sleep evaluation would be persuasive).

The judge added that exchanges remain at an agreed public location and asked counsel to submit formal orders implementing the directions above.

Ending: The court set a mid-summer review date to check compliance. If Duffy meets the conditions and the guardian ad litem reports favorably, the judge said she would consider further changes toward a more typical parenting schedule.","A judge in Dickson County granted unsupervised Sunday parenting time for Daryl Duffy at a family member's home but kept restrictions in place for his residence, ordering cleanup, commercial pest treatment and other steps before any overnight or home visits.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Judge grants divorce, allocates vehicles and debts and names mother primary residential parent after contested final hearing

Judge denies motion to dismiss in termination/adoption case, appoints guardian ad litem

Judge grants limited unsupervised Sunday visits for father but bars visits at his home until hazards cleared