Areas of Practice

Family Law

Family law is a broad term that encompasses all issues involved in the marriage context. Some of those issues are considered their own areas of practice, such as Divorce, Child Issues, and Premarital Agreements. Our firm deals with all legal aspects of the marriage context on a daily basis.

Divorce

When a married couple decide to formally end the marriage relationship, they must file for divorce. Texas law has specific requirements that our firm can help walk you through so that you can end that relationship properly. At the time of divorce, all property obtained during the marriage by either party should be awarded to one person or the other. One reason to file for divorce is that in Texas a person cannot marry again without that first marriage being dissolved. One reason for hiring an attorney is to make sure ALL assets are divided properly and the marriage is properly ended.

Child Issues

This area of practice includes child custody, such as possession schedules, the rights a parent has in regard to their child, child support, paternity cases, and termination of parental rights. Texas courts strive to rule in “the best interest of the child” and our firm helps the judge see all sides of the child issues so that you can spend the maximum amount of time with that child, if you so desire.

Premarital Agreements

These agreements are drafted before marriage in case that marriage doesn't work out. The hope is that the premarital agreement serves to answer any questions, like who gets what. Our firm drafts these agreements and also can look at an existing premarital agreement to see if it is valid or not.

Estate Planning

Estate planning is the process of anticipating and arranging for the disposal of your property. Estate planning typically attempts to eliminate uncertainties and maximize the value of the estate by reducing taxes and other expenses. Guardians are often designated for minor children and beneficiaries in incapacity. Typical tools are wills, trusts, powers of appointment or powers of attorney. After the Terri Schiavo media coverage, many people also want a living will. A living will determines what will happen if the person can no longer make decisions for themselves.

Modification

When two people divorce, there are often lingering obligations governed by the divorce decree. The most common deal with possession schedules of children or child support, but other obligations could be money paid directly from one party to the other over time or health insurance coverage. Our firm can discuss modification of those obligations with you, determine if a modification you want is possible and likely, and help you obtain that modification.

Enforcement

At times, a party might not follow an order of the court. Enforcement of those orders, whether they are temporary orders or a final decree, is commonly done by filing a Motion to Enforce. Our firm can take you through this process to protect your rights, beginning with discussions with the non-compliant spouse, and going back to court if necessary.