Last month I wrote about all of the Paperwork involved in finishing up a divorce. Among the things you must do is visit with an Estate Planning attorney. Mr. Bailey’s article this month will cover that. I also suggest that you visit with a counselor. … [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...]
Bailey & Galyen Announcement
Bailey & Galyen is proud and excited to announce that Dana Manry has passed the exam to become Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of Texas. The State Bar recognizes Board Certification as “a mark … [Read more...]
Does Living Together In Texas Mean You’re Married?
In Texas, the short answer is “maybe.” The concept of an informal marriage, sometimes referred as Common Law marriage, does exist in Texas. According to current law, (which may undergo a major re-write in this upcoming session of the Legislature) 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...]
Possession and Access
This month I want to talk about Possession and Access, what we more frequently call visitation. The law concerning Possession and Access is found in Texas Family Code Chapter 153 beginning at section 301. Much like child support, the "Standard … [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...]