The dad wasn't told kids would be unsupervised for weekend - What's he to do?

[ConcernedNeighbor]

The dad is a military man from a military town. Contentious divorce. Mom is a real "winner". Tattoos, piercings while he was deployed. Keeps kids from him. He's a good guy. So noticed kids are alone this weekend while she went out of town. (yes she does THAT ALOT)
According to the Tennessee Child Laws they can't be left alone unsupervised. Yet the "mom" is leaving them with their 20 year old sibling. That kid crashes cars like once a month and is known as a trouble maker.
Doesn't the dad have rights? Shouldn't he have been told? Shouldn't he have had the right to first refusal to take care of their kids?
His lawyer doesn't seem to be doing anything. Wow, you would think for $5000 they could have ONE PIECE OF PAPER showing that they've done something other than file every email. Can someone please help this dad. He is a very decorated officer, a war hero. He feels he has no one.

[tigger]

Is the divorce final?  Are there papers ordered/signed by the court giving custody/parenting time?  If not, he can go get the kids as he has as much rights to the kids at the mother and more than the sibling.  If there are papers signed and they don't already say something about right of first refusal, then he may be out of luck.

[DadsCrushed]

If there is an Order amend it to reflect "right of first refusal" if you share joint legal custody

[MixedBag]

First be sure you can quote the TN law.

Second, leaving them with a 20 year old is not leaving them "unsupervised".....however, the supervisor might be a poor choice.

Careful....k?