No, that's not a misprint. And, while lifetime spousal support after divorce is certainly not the norm, Texas courts do have the power and authority to order alimony (we call it spousal maintenance) if specific conditions are met, including the … [Read more...]
Introducing our New Board Certified Family Law Attorney Duana Boswell-Loechel
Duana Boswell-Loechel grew up in Moore, Oklahoma and moved to League City, Texas her junior year of high school where she attended and graduated from Clear Creek High School. Duana earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology and Marine … [Read more...]
The Paperwork
As gut-wrenching as a divorce can be, once the court signs the decree you're only half done. You have to file paperwork with the Bureau of Vital Statistics, the Texas Department of Public Safety Drivers License Bureau, Social Security and so many … [Read more...]
Lifetime alimony… in Texas.
No, that’s not a misprint. And, while lifetime spousal support after divorce is certainly not the norm, Texas courts do have the power and authority to order alimony (we call it spousal maintenance) if specific conditions are met, including the … [Read more...]
MODIFYING CHILD CUSTODY AGREEMENTS
Earlier this week I read about a court in New York that denied a mother the right to move with a child seventeen miles based on an agreement incident to divorce the former couple had signed. Yes, the court denied the mother’s request to move with the … [Read more...]
Every Year About This Time People Lose Their Minds
Every year about this time people lose their minds. The holidays are special and who better to spend them with than our children? I completely understand. This last weekend the phone rang off the hook because “primary conservators” did not let the … [Read more...]
Understanding the “Standard Possession Order”
In a divorce with children, and in other cases involving custody, the courts often impose what is commonly known as a “Standard Possession Order” or “SPO” for short, to resolve the competing desires of the parents to allocate periods of time with … [Read more...]
It Is All About You
Too often in Family litigation, a party places focus in the wrong place. Divorces and custody cases are so full of emotional turmoil that priorities get misplaced. It becomes very easy for you to say, “I want to make him/her suffer and pay for what … [Read more...]
Avoiding Summer Time Drama in Your Divorce
Like every year, summer’s high temperatures can lead to high drama for families that are going through a divorce. Smooth sailing custody arrangements can quickly be derailed by the free flowing schedule imposed on parents when the kids are out of … [Read more...]
Who’s Your………Parent?
Legal vs. Biological Parent Biological parentage is easy to establish these days: a DNA test can indicate with 99.999% probability that an adult and a minor are parent and child, or it can rule out the possibility that a particular adult and child … [Read more...]
Child Support
As many of you know, I worked for the Attorney General’s Office in the Child Support Division for many years. One of the things that never ceases to surprise me is that many litigants and even attorneys approach Child Support as though it is a ‘cut … [Read more...]
Family Law Mediation
by R. Keith Spencer Families going through a divorce or separation frequently must devise co-parenting plans to ensure continuity of care for children of multiple households. Simple matters, like consistent bedtimes and nighttime routines, are … [Read more...]