Why does child support exist? In the state of Texas, and most states in general, both parents have a legal obligation and duty to financially support their children when those children are in their care. Questions of child support and who pays child support arise when parents get divorced or an unmarried couple breaks up after having a child together. From a legal perspective, the purpose of child support is to ensure children are properly cared for when parents are not married or in a committed relationship. Each state has established its own laws regarding child support. In the state of Texa ..read more

If you suspect (or know) your spouse isn’t being forthcoming about what’s going on with your marital finances, and a divorce is imminent, what should you do? Your best first step is to hire an experienced divorce attorney who can explain how to find money hidden by spouse and what legal steps you could take to protect your portion of the marital estate. As a family law attorney , I frequently hear concerns from clients who are worried their spouse is hiding assets in divorce. While some clients have good reason to be concerned about hidden assets, others do not. Feelings of animosity and ..read more

Accusations of infidelity and emotional affairs are commonplace leading up to and during divorce. People have been cheating on their spouses since the Stone Age. In recent years, social media has made it easier to reconnect with an old flame or flirt with someone exciting and new. If you’re single, that’s great but if you’re married, your spouse could view those flirtations as cheating or micro cheating, and that could be problematic during divorce. What is micro cheating? Let’s start by talking about what micro cheating isn’t. It is not considered adultery, which is what the state of Texas de ..read more

Parents who are seeking or have been granted equal custody time with their children have a variety of custody schedules to consider. Some parents prefer one week on and one week off schedules, while others prefer a plan that allows them to spend a few days with their children every week, like a 3-4-4-3, 2-2-3, 5-2-2-5 or 2-2-5-5 custody schedule. Preferences aside, the courts have a big say in the matter, and parents don’t always get what they want. The court will consider many factors when deciding which child custody plan is in the best interest of a child. Some of these factors include the ..read more

In order to finalize the adoption of a child in Texas, the adoptive parent (or parents) need to terminate the rights of the child’s living biological parents (or other persons named legally responsible for a child, like a managing conservator or guardian). The only exceptions include adult adoptions and stepparent adoptions, where the stepparent’s spouse maintains parental rights and the other biological parent’s rights need to be terminated.  TPR basics: What is TPR in court and how does the process work? In the family court system, TPR refers to the legal termination of parental rights ..read more

Whether you have been served with divorce papers by a spouse (or you’re a third party who has been served due to a connection to the case), it’s generally a good idea to seek legal advice. The state of Texas has established specific procedures and timelines for responding to lawsuits. Not abiding by these requirements could affect your rights regarding assets, property, business concerns and spousal support; responsibility for marital debt; and wishes regarding child custody and support. In the following article, we’ll answer some common questions about responding to divorce papers and take a ..read more

If you’re involved in a divorce or child custody dispute, where you and the other party can’t agree on terms, there are generally two ways to resolve your case. You can either go to trial or try to resolve your issues through the mediation process. What is mediation, and what does a mediator do? I’ll answer these questions and more in the article below. What is mediation in law? Legal mediation is an option in many areas of the legal system, including family law. In general, the way we define mediation is similar across legal specialties. I like the way the Supreme Court of Texas (SCOT) define ..read more

We live in a time when the marriage rate is declining, couples are waiting much later to get married (or don’t feel the need to get married at all) and more children are being born out of wedlock. When parents are not married, questions regarding parentage, paternity, birth certificates and child support often arise, including: Does the father have to be on the birth certificate to get child support? If I don’t sign the birth certificate do I have to pay child support? Is a paternity test required for child support? What happens at a paternity hearing? What happens after paternity is establis ..read more

While it is very common for parents and their minor children to have disagreements, it is rare for such disputes to escalate to the point where emancipation makes sense. That being said, minors do have the option to seek emancipation in Texas, as long as the requirements for emancipation are met. If you’re a minor or the parents of a minor seeking emancipation from parents or a legal guardian, we’ll explain how the process works here in Texas. As with most legal issues, laws vary from state to state when it comes to emancipation. If you are a minor or a parent who wants to learn more about ema ..read more

Most people know what divorce means but dissolution is another term that often comes up when a married couple decides to split. As with most issues pertaining to the end of a marriage, the laws and terms used vary from state to state. In fact, the difference between dissolution and divorce is different in the state of Texas than some other states. There is also a question of semantics when it comes to the terms dissolution or divorce. In some states the term dissolution may be used to describe a legal action that ends a marriage (marriage dissolution vs divorce), while in other states the term ..read more