Family Lawyers in Houston

Providing Legal Assistance to Clients Facing Difficult Texas Family Law Matters in the Houston Area

Family law issues are among the most difficult and challenging legal issues under Texas law, not least of all because of the high emotions in play or the family members we sometimes face. While most think of divorce when they first think of family law issues, Texas family law extends far beyond that. Whatever family law matter you are facing, it is highly recommended that you work with Houston family lawyers in order to help you resolve it.

Among the reasons why child custody, child support, divorce cases, and other family law legal matters are so difficult and emotional is because of the stressful and often contentious nature of most cases. Breaking up a family unit, deciding who, when, and where a child should be raised, the enforcement of child support payments, and orders of protection are all matters that one party or another may contest.

When in the courtroom setting, it is highly recommended that you attempt to remain calm, cool, and collected. Outbursts of anger in a family law court can have a dramatic negative impact on your case. Just the same, though, we understand these outbursts. But that’s why it’s important that you do not represent yourself in family law cases. By hiring the legal services of experienced family law attorneys, they can speak for you in and out of court, always looking out for your best interests and keeping emotions in check.

Dodson Law Firm has years of experience representing both family law and personal injury cases. We offer dedicated and personalized legal support to every client who we know is going through some of the most difficult times in their life. We care about our clients because we know that no legal case is ever just a case. This is your life, and in family law cases, you’re often left feeling that it’s unraveling. We want to help put the pieces back together again and bring your case to the most satisfactory conclusion possible. Our experienced family law lawyers provide caring, compassionate, and communicative legal service to our clients, and we would be proud to represent your family law case.

To learn more about the legal process and how we can provide legal guidance, please contact us to schedule a confidential and in-depth case review.

Do You Need a Houston Family Law Attorney for Your Divorce Matters?

If you opt to represent yourself in a divorce case, your soon-to-be ex-spouse could take advantage of this and recover more assets in the division of property, limit your visitation rights, draft an unfair parenting plan, and more. By hiring legal representatives to look after your personal interests, you can better rest assured that your case will come to the most optimal conclusion.

Texas is a no-fault divorce state. That means that it is possible to file for divorce without listing grounds for divorce, such as infidelity, incarceration, and others. To file for a no-fault divorce, all that you and your spouse effectively need to say is that there are irreconcilable differences in the marriage that cannot be overcome. In other situations, you may file for a fault-based divorce. However, you will need to list one of the valid grounds for divorce.

There are two main types of divorces in Texas: contested and uncontested divorces. A contested divorce is when the spouses cannot agree on the terms of their divorce, including child custody matters, child support, spousal support (alimony), and more. Contested divorces tend to be more expensive, more stressful, and take longer to resolve. It is preferred to avoid a contested divorce if possible; however, sometimes, it is the only option. An uncontested divorce, on the other hand, is where both parties agree to all important terms involved in their divorce case.  Uncontested divorces tend to be cheaper, faster, and less emotionally exhausting. However, even an uncontested divorce would benefit from the legal representation of family attorneys.

How Does Property Division Work in Texas Divorce Cases?

Texas is a community property state. Real estate, property, financial assets, and other valuables acquired during the course of the marriage shall be considered community property (or marital property). There is such a thing as separate property, however. Separate property is any assets that you acquired prior to your marriage. Assets acquired during marriage via an inheritance or as the recipient of a gift may also be considered separate property. Please note, however, that if you transfer or muddle ownership of separate property, such as adding your spouse’s name to a deed or moving financial assets into a shared bank account, this may raise questions as to the true ownership of those assets.

Unless there is a prenuptial agreement, property division in a divorce will result in the marital property being shared between the spouses in a manner that a family law judge deems fair and just. The existence of a prenup may alter the division of assets.

To better understand the division of property and the enforcement of prenuptial agreements, please contact our law firm.

What is Mediation and is it Right for Your Divorce Case?

Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Instead of pursuing divorce litigation, some spouses elect to try mediation. In the mediation process, a neutral third party (the mediator) will attempt to help you and your spouse reach common ground and divorce terms where there is difficulty coming to an agreement. Mediators are often family law attorneys.

It may be recommended that you retain the legal counsel of your own Houston family law lawyer during the course of mediation in order to remind you of your rights and responsibilities in your family law case.

Should You Hire a Family Law Practice for Child Custody Cases?

Perhaps more than even divorce, child custody may be the most tiring and complicated family law matter to resolve. Emotions run high in child custody cases, so it is recommended to retain the representation of legal professionals. Outbursts in the courtroom can result in Texas courts frowning upon you and your case, potentially damaging your chances of retaining child custody.

Whether you are searching for sole custody or joint custody, our law office can help you pursue your goals in complicated child custody matters. Contact a family lawyer at our Houston, TX, firm today.

Is it Possible to Seek Child Support or Child Custody Modifications?

It is possible to seek both child support and child custody modifications. However, certain special circumstances have to be established before this is possible.

In a child custody case, if both parties agree that there needs to be a modification, then the process is fairly simple. However, if there is some disagreement on modifying the child custody arrangement, the process may take some time and require additional legal support.

Acceptable grounds to modify child custody agreements include that the child has changed their preferences on who they would like to live with (and they must be at least 12 years old), there has been a substantial change in circumstances to the parent’s lives and or livelihoods, and the change would be beneficial to the child’s best interest.

In a child support case, if you wish to change the amounts for your child support payment, you must receive a court order first. If you do not first receive the court orders, failing to meet your child support obligations could be met with consequences. To learn how you may be eligible to modify your child support arrangement, please contact our legal team.

What Are Texas Protective Orders?

A protective order (or restraining order) can be a valuable legal tool for protecting you and your family from a potentially violent or unstable family element.

By filing protective orders, an individual can be prohibited from going to certain places, communicating with certain people, interfering with the lives of certain individuals, and blocked from committing domestic violence or physical abuse against those people.

Schedule an In-Depth Consultation with an Experienced Family Law Attorney Today

Dodson Law Firm has extensive experience representing all sorts of cases involving family law in Houston. From divorce and spousal support to protective orders and child custody, we would be proud to represent your interests in and out of a court of law.

To learn more about the legal services our family law firm provides, please schedule your initial consultation with our professional legal staff today.

You may call us at 713-597-7141.