In a decision filed on Oct. 27, 2026, the Tennessee Court of Appeals rejected the husband’s challenge to the marital‑home valuation and affirmed the trial court’s $160,400 figure, awarding the wife 75% of the equity.
The couple married in Texas in 2015, moved to Knoxville a year later, and bought the 1945‑built house in 2018 for $109,000; the wife—who was the sole wage earner—claimed the property could reach $200,000 only after costly repairs. Their son, born July 2017, suffers from autism and developmental delays.
At trial, the husband insisted the home was worth “slightly north of $300,000,” citing three nearby sales ranging from $310,000 to $350,000, but the judge labeled the estimate “greatly inflated” because the comparables lacked similar size, condition, or lot.
The court calculated the home's equity at $62,852.84, meaning the wife receives $47,139.21 and the husband $15,713.21, and it ordered that the husband's $20,000 child‑support debt be paid from his share.
The appeals court also vacated the trial court’s $2,000 valuations for the husband's original artwork and tools—no evidence was offered—and sent the permanent parenting plan back for a fresh hearing, noting that the earlier plan lacked clarity on the child's best interests.
Trial court judge will now recalculate each spouse’s share and the court will schedule a new parenting‑plan hearing, while the wife’s 75% stake remains in place pending that reassessment.