Permanent Parenting Plan Tennessee | Memphis Family Law Attorney | Jones Law Firm
Permanent Parenting Plan in Tennessee
The Permanent Parenting Plan is the governing document for your children after divorce. Think of it as a rulebook that covers not just where your children sleep each night, but how major decisions get made, how holiday time is divided, what happens when schedules conflict, and how disputes between parents get resolved.
Getting the parenting plan right at the outset is one of the most important things we do for our clients with children. A well-drafted plan prevents future litigation. A poorly drafted one creates it.
What the Plan Must Cover
Tennessee law requires the Permanent Parenting Plan to address: the designation of a Primary Residential Parent and Alternative Residential Parent; the residential parenting schedule including regular schedule, holidays, school breaks, and summer; decision-making authority for major issues like education, healthcare, and extracurricular activities; transportation responsibilities; and child support, calculated pursuant to Tennessee Child Support Guidelines.
Primary Residential Parent vs. Equal Parenting Time
Most plans in Tennessee designate one parent as the Primary Residential Parent (PRP), who is the parent with whom the child primarily resides. The Alternative Residential Parent (ARP) has scheduled parenting time that can range from minimal contact to near-equal time sharing.
True equal parenting time, sometimes called a 50/50 arrangement, is possible in Tennessee and becoming more common. Courts will approve it when both parents live close enough to make logistics workable, both are capable parents, and the arrangement genuinely serves the child’s best interest. It is not automatic, and it is not appropriate in every case.
Modifying the Parenting Plan
A Permanent Parenting Plan can be modified when there has been a material change of circumstances affecting the child’s best interest. The threshold for modification is higher than for child support, and the change must be significant, not just inconvenient. Common grounds include a parent’s relocation, a significant change in the child’s needs, or demonstrated unfitness of the current PRP.
Building a Plan That Lasts
The best parenting plans are built for the child you have now but flexible enough for the child they will become. A schedule that works for a five-year-old will not work for a fifteen-year-old. We draft plans with that trajectory in mind. See also our Memphis Child Custody page and the main divorce page for a full overview.
William W. Jones IV is a Memphis family law attorney, Rule 31 Listed Family Mediator, and Super Lawyers selectee every consecutive year from 2014 through 2025. Licensed in Tennessee (BPR 022869) and Mississippi (BPR 100707), he practices at The Jones Law Firm, 5100 Poplar Ave, Suite 708, Memphis, TN 38137. Call (901) 761-5353 or visit midsouthdivorce.com.