Tennessee Code Annotated

Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-4-119 (2026)

Decree of court generally

✓ current as of May 2026
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If, upon hearing the cause, the court is satisfied that the complainant is entitled to relief, it may be granted either by pronouncing the marriage void from the beginning, or by dissolving it forever and freeing each party from the obligations thereof, or by a separation for a limited time.

Code 1858, § 2465 (deriv. Acts 1835-1836, ch. 26, §§ 7, 19); Shan., § 4218; Code 1932, § 8443; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 36-817.


Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases, 1988–2015 · leading case: Guzman v. Alvares, 205 S.W.3d 375 (Tenn. 2006).
Guzman v. Alvares, 205 S.W.3d 375 (Tenn. 2006). · cites it 4× “See Tenn.Code Ann. § 36-4-119 (1996); 3 see also Emmit v.”
Earls v. Earls, 42 S.W.3d 877 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 4× “T.C.A. § 36-4-119 provides: If, upon hearing the cause, the court is satisfied that the complainant is entitled to relief, it may be granted either by pronouncing the marriage void from the beginning, or by dissolving it forever and freeing each party from the obligations…”
Thomasson v. Thomasson, 755 S.W.2d 779 (Tenn. 1988). · cites it 2× “T.C.A. § 36-4-119 provides: *789 If, upon hearing the cause, the court is satisfied that the complainant is entitled to relief, it may be granted either by pronouncing the marriage void from the beginning, or by dissolving it forever and freeing each party from the obligations…”
Kimberly Haas v. Albert Haas (Tenn. Ct. App. 2002). · cites it 4× “The trial court granted the wife a divorce under T.C.A. § 36-4-119, and Ms. Asher appealed, arguing the trial court erred because she requested only a legal separation.”
Jeffrey Edmisten v. Kathy Edmisten (Tenn. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 2× “However, we are of the opinion that Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 36-4-119 , 36-4-102, and 36-4- 101(15) establish the range of discretion applicable in the case before us.”
Linda Asher v. Eugene Asher (Tenn. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 2× “T.C.A. 36-4-119 states as follows: Decree of court generally.”
Marvin Dewayne Echols v. Elke Monika Echols (Tenn. Ct. App. 2015). · cites it 2× “See Tenn. Code Ann. § 36-4-119 (1996); see also Emmit v.”
Clark Earls v. Shirley Earls (Tenn. Ct. App. 2000). · cites it 2× “T.C.A. § 36-4-119 provides: If, upon hearing the cause, the court is satisfied that the complainant is entitled to relief, it may be granted either by pronouncing the marriage void from the beginning, or by dissolving it forever and freeing each party from the obligations…”
Larry Lynn Averitt, Sr. v. Lynn Binkley Averitt (Tenn. Ct. App. 2009). “It declared the parties to be divorced pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-4-119. The trial court then made the following findings relevant to this appeal: (7) The [court] specifically finds that the parties’ former marital residence located at 2989 West-Mor Drive has a…”
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