Top best Child Support Lawyers in Cookeville | 3 available

Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work with many people in the Upper Cumberland area. I have both enjoyed my work with them and enjoyed getting to know more about life from each one of them.I grew up in Sparta, TN. My father brought livestock markets to farmers in this area, and my mother reared a family of six while keeping books for the family business. My parents taught me the values of hard work, respect for everyone, living in and trying to improve your community and the importance of having people say your word is as good as a written contract. My experience working with my family in the livestock business has helped me have a better understanding of the lives and work of the rural people of this area.In my early years of practice, I worked with low-income clients at Rural Legal Services of Tennessee (now Legal Aid Society of Middle Tennessee and the Cumberlands). There I learned the importance of working with groups of people to achieve common goals. I later worked in partnership with skilled attorneys, Ernie Onks, Kathy Austin, and Mike O’Mara, who helped me hone my legal skills. My clients have each taught me valuable life lessons.Family is important to me. My family relies on each other for help and support – sharing with each other what is most important to each one of us. My daughters, Carrie Massa and Erica Scott, along with Jodi Preis, now work as legal assistants in my law practice. I often call on my son, Ethan Massa, and my children’s father, John Massa, for questions I have about appraisals. My husband, Steve Chapman, guides me in areas of office management. My brothers and sisters are always available for valuable counsel. My close family experience has helped me work with and empathize with the needs of families I meet in my practice.The Upper Cumberland is an area not only where I grew up but also chose to return to and stay in after my years of education. I believe it is important to give back to the community that has given so much to me. Through the years, I have volunteered in my church community, the arts community, youth sports organizations, political organizations, and environmental groups.I am fortunate to live in a place with the beauty of the farmland, lakes, and mountains of the Upper Cumberlands and to have the full and abundant life my family, friends, work and community has provided.

TALK TO A WOMAN WITH 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE.. EDUCATION: I am from the Upper Cumberland Area and went to Law School in Nashville.  I worked my way through college at Tennessee Tech, and then through Law School at the Nashville School of Law, graduating in 1983.. OFFICES:  I first opened my office in Monterey in August 1984 until July 1988, when I moved to Cookeville.  My office was on the square for many years, but I purchased my own building in August 2011, located at 101 S. Jefferson Ave, Cookeville, Tennessee.   I share office space with three other very good lawyers, and can refer you in-house, if necessary.  I have two paralegals with many years of experience who work for me.. I handle cases in Putnam mainly, but also go to White, Overton, and Jackson counties, but the other attorneys in the office go to several other counties.. FAMILY AND DOMESTIC RELATIONS CASES: I have a number domestic relations cases, including but not limited to divorces, with and without children, divorce with large amounts of property and others where the parties were married for a long time and the court awarded alimony.  I have had to appeal some cases along the way.  I tried one relocation case, and the court denied the relocation, but on appeal the trial court was reversed.   I, after winning a relocation case allowing my client to move with her child to Italy, defended an appeal  of that case and the appellate court upheld the trial court.  I have tried a number of termination cases, several have been appealed.. I have worked on child support, child custody, paternity, parentage, divorces with or without children, terminations of parental rights, adoptions, relocations case and more.. CRIMINAL PRACTICE: I practiced more criminal law when I first started practicing law.  I have handled more than five first degree murder cases, and several death penalties.  I tried one death penalty case, and appealed it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. I had one murder case dismissed on motion. and not appealed by the State.  I had one first degree murder reduced to reckless homicide, after hearing a motion regarding his confession.  My most recent murder case was in 2012, my client was convicted of manslaughter.. I have appealed a number of criminal cases, some regarding search and seizure, confessions and sentencing.. MEDIATION: I am a Rule 31 mediator, with domestic violence certification.  I don't handle as many mediation as I would like, but enjoy that part of my practice, as well.. I think you will find me hard working and ready to handle your case.. Marti Crawford