Everyone wants to save money where they can; however, trying to handle complex family law litigation without an attorney, utilizing forms found on the internet, is fraught with peril. Every day, judges face courtrooms full of people attempting to … [Read more...]
No Man’s Life, Liberty, or Property are Safe while the Legislature is in Session
No Man’s life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session. ~ Gideon Tucker For as long as anyone can remember, alimony has been tax deductible. In Texas, we do not call it alimony instead, it is referred to as Post Divorce … [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...]
5 Tips on Planning a Prenuptial Agreement
Source: msnbc.com It may be unromantic, but a prenup should at least be considered before saying ‘I do’ By Catherine New “No prenup!” headlines gasped last year as Kelsey and Camille Grammer’s divorce went public. The star of Frasier … [Read more...]
What About Grandma and Grandpa?
By Dana Floyd No one can dispute the important role grandparents play in a child’s life. However, with today’s changing family structures, grandparents can often be shut out of participating in a child’s life. To address such concerns, all states … [Read more...]