The REAL ID Act of 2005 established security standards for the issuance of identifiction documents, and prohibited federal agencies from accepting those documents that did not adhere to the Act. It has been up to the individual states to issue driver licenses and...
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Month: June 2019
You can be charged with failing to protect your children
Juvenile courts in Tennessee have exclusive original jurisdiction to hear matters concerning the dependency and neglect of children. These can be brought by private parties, or by the State filing a petition. These are typically the result of an investigation by the...
Divorce and Child Custody in Tennessee
Tennessee is home to picturesque mountain views and gorgeous landscapes, but residents of the state still have to deal with the stark realities of divorce. Despite best efforts and intentions, some relationships reach a point at which separating is best, but this can...
Tennessee does not recognize common law marriage
Tennessee doesn't recognize what other states consider to be "common law marriages." Some states allow common law marriages to be formed when two individuals in a relationship cohabitate for a set period of time. This would then create a marital union to allow for...
Supreme Court extends exceptions to warrant requirement
In the recent 2019 case of State v. McElrath, the Tennessee Supreme Court adopted a good-faith exception to the requirement of a warrant when police officers make mistakes that are the result of negligence and not reckless disregard or a systemic error. Any evidence...
New USCIS Policy endangers victims of crime
Victims of certain crimes who have suffered substantial mental or physical abuse while in the United States, and who are willing to assist law enforcement or other government officials in prosecuting the crime, are eligible to apply for "U Status." U Status permits...
Limitations to obtaining back child support
If you are a parent looking to collect back child support but do not have a court order currently in place, you should act quickly. For parents who were married and divorced, the court will enter a parenting plan laying out how much child support is due and how it...
President moves to further restrict immigration
Tennessee residents likely know that those who cross the border may have the right to seek asylum or other legal status. If a child crosses the border into the United States without a guardian, that child generally has the right to make an asylum request to United...
Proving “Good Moral Character” when applying for U.S. citizenship
One of the many things U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services reviews when you apply for citizenship is what's termed "good moral character." Several things can bar you from showing good moral character, such as a criminal record, failure to pay taxes or child...
Could your social media affect your visa application?
Out of all the things that could cause the U.S. Department of State (USDS) to deny your visa, could Facebook be the biggest culprit? In June 2019, the State Department announced they would begin to request "most" US visa applicants' social media account information....