Alimony cohabitation · Middle Tennessee
Alimony cohabitation investigations in Nashville
If your former spouse is living with a new partner while you keep paying support, the question in court is what you can prove. We document living arrangements patiently, legally and in a form your attorney can use.
Confidential. Ask your first questions without giving your name.
- Typical evidenceOvernight pattern over weeks
- Key lawTenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-121
- You receiveDated log + video
- Works best withYour family law attorney
Cohabitation cases are won on patterns, not single sightings. One car in a driveway proves almost nothing. The same car overnight, three or four nights a week, for a month, with the same person leaving for work in the morning, tells a very different story.
That is why these investigations are planned around repeated, short observations at the right hours rather than one long stakeout. It keeps cost reasonable and builds exactly the kind of record a judge can weigh.
What usually prompts a cohabitation investigation
- A new partner who seems to be at your ex’s home most nights
- Your children mentioning someone who “lives there now”
- A second vehicle regularly parked at the residence overnight
- Mail, deliveries or a moving truck suggesting a shared household
- Your ex claiming the same financial need while expenses appear shared
- A new partner listing your ex’s address on public profiles or records
Talk with your attorney about the type of alimony you pay. Whether and how cohabitation affects it depends on the kind of award and the language of your decree.
How we document cohabitation
- Review your decree with your attorney’s guidance so the evidence targets the right legal question
- Late-evening and early-morning observations from public vantage points, repeated across several weeks
- Vehicle and license-plate documentation tied to dates and times
- Public-records research on the new partner’s stated addresses and registrations
- A running calendar that shows the pattern at a glance
What you receive
- A dated observation log and calendar summary
- Time-stamped photos and video of arrivals and departures
- Records findings on the other person’s address history
- Testimony from the detective if the matter is contested
Tennessee law that matters here
Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-5-121, when a person receiving certain types of alimony lives with a third person, courts may presume the recipient no longer needs the same amount of support, or that the third person is contributing. The recipient can try to rebut that presumption, which is why consistent, well-documented evidence matters.
We never enter the property, look into windows or record conversations. Evidence gathered that way can be thrown out and can expose you to liability.
How it usually goes
How a cohabitation case runs
Short, repeated observations over weeks build the pattern a court looks for.
- 01
Decree review
We confirm with you and your attorney what the evidence needs to show.
- 02
Baseline
Addresses, vehicles and routines are verified before field work.
- 03
Pattern building
Repeated overnight and morning checks, logged and filmed.
- 04
Summary
Calendar, log and video, packaged for your attorney.
Questions about this service
Cohabitation investigation questions
How many nights of evidence do I need?
There is no fixed number, but courts look for a consistent pattern rather than isolated visits. Many cases document a period of several weeks. Your attorney can tell you what will be persuasive for your decree.
Does cohabitation automatically end alimony in Tennessee?
No. For certain types of alimony, Tennessee law creates a presumption that can reduce or suspend support when the recipient lives with a third person, but the recipient can rebut it. The result depends on the facts and the type of alimony.
Will my ex know I hired someone?
We work to make sure they do not. Observations are short, varied and conducted from public places.
Can you show the new partner pays bills?
We can document lawful indicators such as shared vehicles, deliveries and public records. Financial contributions are usually proven through discovery by your attorney.
Read before you call
Guides on this topic
Plain-English answers to the questions people ask us most about alimony cohabitation.
Where we handle alimony cohabitation
Prove the pattern.
Call a detective to plan a cohabitation investigation around your decree.