A Dallas Attorney for Divorce and Family Law
Divorce is a careful process designed to protect everyone's rights, including those of children. I help clients work toward desired divorce outcomes and address other legal issues affecting children. Contact me for compassionate family law help.
Helping You Through the Divorce Process
Whether contested or uncontested, divorce in Texas involves a multi-step filing process. After the filing, the spouses have at least 60 days to try to reach a divorce settlement. I can help you negotiate an agreement, and if you need to go to court, I will meticulously prepare and be ready for a trial.
While the divorce is pending, one spouse may be entitled to spousal maintenance (also known as alimony) from the other. Maintenance is sometimes also granted temporarily - generally for no more than three years - after the divorce.
Resolving Issues Affecting Children
The courts are often asked to address the relationships between parents and children. These emotional situations are often very stressful for all parties involved. Accordingly, I am always prepared and work to attain a good resolution as quickly as possible. I can help you with any of the following issues:
- Custody and visitation: Custody and visitation battles can be traumatic for children, so most divorcing spouses try to reach a settlement outside of court. A full-blown custody battle may be necessary if there is a good reason why one parent should not be entitled to equal time.
- Child support: Texas has a series of formulas for calculating the child support obligations of a noncustodial parent. Courts are generally inclined to follow the formulas as closely as possible. In some situations, special circumstances, like one parent having other children from another relationship, may be taken into account.
- Modification: One party to a divorce can seek the modification of custody and/or support order due to a variety of reasons. Common changes of circumstance that trigger modification requests include a significant life change for any of the parties involved or a change in one parent's earnings.
- Children's rights: Children have a right to be free from abuse. I can help children by working with Child Protective Services or serving as a guardian at litem. I will also represent parents falsely accused of abuse.
- Paternity: Stability for the child is an important consideration in paternity cases, and the court has discretion as to whether a DNA test is ordered. The test may be denied if there is someone in the child's life who has acted as a father for a long time.
Whether you need a lawyer to help you work through divorce, child support, child custody or paternity, contact me for a dependable advocate based in Hillsboro and Dallas, Texas. My hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Weekend appointments are available by special arrangement.
| Hill County Office: |
Se habla Español