Free Divorce Forms for Couples with Children - HELP4TN Blog

In Tennessee, there are times when married couples with children can get divorced using free online forms.  Doing so could save the couple a significant amount of money.  They will still have to pay the court's fee, but they will avoid costly attorney’s fees.  The forms discussed in this blog are free and have been deemed “universally acceptable as legally sufficient” by the Tennessee Supreme Court.  That means that if filled out correctly, all Tennessee courts that hear divorce cases must accept them. (https://www.tncourts.gov/node/4684225).  Other forms that can be purchased online or in stores are not guaranteed to work and likely won’t be accepted by your local divorce court. 

Qualifications: How do I know if I am able to use these free forms that are approved by the Tennessee Supreme Court?

• First and foremost, these forms are only for divorces where both spouses agree on all parts of the divorce
• In order to qualify to use these forms:
  • You and your spouse have children together that are under 18, in high school, or are disabled.
    • Children together means children you had together that were born before your marriage AND all children born or adopted during your marriage.
  • One or both of you lived in Tennessee for at least the past 6 months with the children OR you both lived in Tennessee when you decided to divorce and the children have lived here for at least six months.
  • Neither spouse is pregnant.
  • You both want to end your marriage.
  • You don’t own buildings or land or a business together or have retirement benefits.
  • You can agree on alimony and how to divide your property, and will both sign a Divorce Agreement.
  • You can agree on the child support amount and the Parenting Plan. Child support must comply with Tennessee’s Child Support Guidelines.

Where can I access these forms?

• The forms are available online at tn.courts.gov:
  • Divorce Forms with kids (Word Version)
  • Divorce Forms with kids (PDF Version)
  • The forms can also be filled out through the Family Champion chatbot:
    • https://www.familychampion.org

How do I file these forms?

• The forms should be filed in person at your local circuit or chancery court. 
• Each court has its own fee. These vary by location and you can find out what you might owe by contacting the court clerk’s office.
  • If you cannot pay the fee upfront, you can request to pay the fee later by filing a Request to Postpone Filing Fees and Order with your local County Clerk’s office.