Where Do You File For Divorce and What Do You Do After Filing?

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A divorce isn’t a process that a lot of people know much about before they beginand there tend to be a lot of questions.  The first step of a divorce is to file for divorce, or rather to petition the court for a divorce.  I will go into that briefly before answering one of the biggest questions, where do I file for divorce?  You  can  find more information about it elsewhere  on our blog as well. Filing For Divorce Filing for divorce is the process during which you submit paperwork to the court stating that you are seeking a divorce.  This is called the Original Petition For Divorce.  Essentially this states the reasons for which you are filing for divorce and what you are asking the court to do.  Texas offers several different types of divorce and you can read about those on our blog. At this stage, you can also request a temporary hearing to determine various issues that need to be decided while the divorce is pending as well as a temporary restraining order in regards to the parties behavior during the case. Many counties include a number of these temporary injunctions as part of a “standing order” […]

The Worst Financial Mistakes You Can Make During A Divorce

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During a divorce you are going to go through some of the worst times you have ever experienced. That is why many people make financial mistakes, too much is going on all at one time. Making a financial mistake will only make the experience worse. We have prepared this article to help you avoid making costly financial mistakes. Not Planning For Expenses A lot of people just spend their money without keeping track of it. This kind of expenditure during a divorce can be risky. There will be extra expenses that you will have to account for. Your lawyer will also need to know how much you spend every month in order to properly defend you. Sitting down and planning out your monthly expenses versus your income is incredibly important. Not Considering Finances When Deciding Where To Live Most people want to keep their family home during the divorce process. While this might help you keep positive memories alive, you need to consider your finances. You will no longer be operating monthly with two people’s income. Take a look at the monthly mortgage payments and look at your expenses from above to determine whether or not you can realistically continue […]

Preparing for a Divorce in Texas

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Being in the position of having a potential divorce is often one of the worst times in a person’s life.  Should you think you have reached that point in your life where your marriage is past any point of being repaired and you think a divorce might be necessary, there are some steps you should take to prepare yourself for a divorce. Step 1. Find A Divorce Attorney Unless you have been through a divorce before, you probably do not have a divorce attorney.  You should start looking for one right away and consult with them on the process of a divorce.  This will include inquiring about your rights and responsibilities in regards to custody and property. Step 2. Prepare A Property Inventory Go through everything you and your partner own.  That means finding major items throughout the house and inventorying them.  From furniture to art and automobiles you should make sure to get everything of value.  This also includes things that might not be at home such as those in safe deposit boxes and storage facilities. Knowing all you can about the property owned between you can be key in a divorce case. Step 3. Get Copies Of Everything […]

US Supreme Court Building

The Basics of Filing for Divorce in Texas

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Going through divorce is a long and complicated process it doesn’t help that it happens to be one of the most emotional times of many people’s lives.  It is also a process that has been stigmatized for years.  As such, not everyone knows too much about the process. To help you better understand the process of divorce in Texas we have created this quick guide about filing for divorce. Mandatory Texas Residency Like with many states, Texas has a requirement for residency in order to file for divorce.  At least one party in the divorce must have resided in Texas for at least 6 months before filing. There is an additional requirement that you must have lived in your county for at least 90 days.  This prevents people from attempting to file from out of state using the Texas courts. Grounds For Divorce In most states, there are two different types of divorce that you can file for.  These are at fault and no-fault.  Texas is a mixed state, meaning that they will hear cases for both at fault and no-fault divorces. No-fault divorces are the most common cases that Texas courts hear.  It means that there is no blame […]

Divorce And The Mediation Process

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Divorce can be a very long process and it is full of twists and turns.  It doesn’t help that there are a variety of different ways that you can go about the process.  One step that you might encounter in the process is mediation.  In today’s article, you will learn about the process of mediation in a divorce and what it is like. What Is Divorce Mediation? In a divorce mediation, a third party is brought in to objectively help both sides of the divorce to reach a settlement.  This third party is a neutral person and is called a mediator. A mediator will work with both parties to come to an agreement in the following areas: Child Support Custody Visitation Alimony Division of Property Business Allocation What Does A Mediation Process Look Like? Each mediator will run the process slightly different.  Many mediators will want to meet with each party individually before the process begins.  This allows them to learn about the case and the party.  It helps the mediator to develop the background information they need to make the process fair. During the process the mediator will determine where you and the other party(s) agree and disagree.  Areas […]

A Quick Guide to Divorce

Adultery and Alimony in Texas

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Adultery is one of the factors behind couples filing for divorce in Texas. Married couples experiencing adultery are most likely to separate at some stage of their lives. In cases where adultery causes divorce of a couple, there is a strict need to define the rights and responsibilities of the parties involved, especially those pertaining to financial matters. One can file for divorce based on adultery in Texas. Adultery can affect the decision of financial issues in a Texas court such as alimony and property division. It is defined by Texas Law as having been deliberately involved in a sexual relationship with somebody who is not your spouse. While filing for a divorce resting on adultery, it is crucial to produce a proof of the affair, which could be anything from phone records and emails to photos and videos, in the court. Generally, courts in Texas grant alimony to the candidate who does not have enough financial resources to support himself/herself and whose ability to earn has been damaged during all those years of the marriage. Alimony is granted if: the spouse applying for alimony cannot earn because he/she has to look after a minor child or because he/she has […]

Father

Shared Parenting After A Divorce

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Shared Parenting After A Divorce Is The Healthiest Option Divorce is difficult for anyone and everyone involved in the process. Even if the divorce is amicable, that doesn’t make it easy.  Deciding what party gets custody of the children and parenting powers is difficult.  Despite being difficult, it is a decision that needs to be made. In the past, it was tradition to award only one parent parenting powers.  This parent would often be the mothers because it was believed that mothering instinct was powerful and that it was a requirement for anyone growing up.  For the most part, this notion is being dismissed as outdated and inaccurate. A more modern but still outdated approach is to assign visitation hours to a parent, most often the father.  The term visitation implies that the parent is something less than they are.  It also is demoralizing. The best approach to parenting after a divorce is to split the parenting as equally as possible.  While the best approach is to have the parenting split 50/50, the minimal amount that a parent should be with their child(children) is 35%.  This allows for a connection between the parent and the child, it also allows for […]

Divorce Gavel

Post-Divorce Proceedings And What They Can Mean

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The process of a divorce is long and can be drawn out depending on whether both parties agree to terms or not.  A variety of other factors can complicate the process.  When the divorce decree is finally signed, a lot of people believe that the process is over.  This isn’t always the case. Often times divorce decrees come with terms and conditions that need to be followed such as property terms.  When one or both parties fail to comply with the decree, Texas Family Code Chapter 9 provides specific methods for dealing with such a situation. Either party can request that the Family Code be enforced.  This is done through filing a new lawsuit.  For those under a court-approved agreement, you can also file.  Chapter 9 filings do not bring with them the right to a jury trial.  Trial by a judge is the typical method of governance of such trial. The ability to file has been ruled by the courts as a result of enforcement of a prior lawsuit.  The case is not a criminal case but instead is under the Rules of Civil Procedure. In order to file for a personal property enforcement suit, one must file within […]

Managing A High-Stakes Divorce In Texas

Managing A High-Stakes Divorce In Texas

This entry was posted in Community Property Divorce and tagged Custody Divorce Family Law Marriage on by

Any divorce is a complicated situation.  A lot goes on, from property management to custody.  Every decision has a lot of factors behind it that all need to be analyzed.  It is time-consuming and every day that the divorce goes on, it seems like it gets more complicated.  What do you do with a high-stakes divorce?  Read on for some guidance. Property Assignment in Texas There are two different categories that property can be assigned to.  These are: separate property (personal property) and community property.  Which category your property gets assigned to determines whether or not it will be split during the divorce or not. Personal Property In Texas Personal property is any property owner or claimed by a spouse before a marriage.  The most basic way to explain it is that it is, property that can be verified to belong only to one party in a divorce.  It can also include property that was specifically gifted to one partner or another.  Inherited property is the same way. During a divorce, personal property stays with its original owner.  That means that you don’t need to worry about whether it will be split between partners or not.  Both people in a […]

No fault divorce courtroom

No-Fault Divorces In Texas May Become Harder After New Bill

This entry was posted in Child Custody Divorce Marriage and tagged Divorce Domestic Violence Enforcement Marriage on by

In Texas, a no-fault divorce is the default mechanism to request a divorce.  Officially by Texas law, a no-fault divorce is when there are conflicts between two parties that could not reasonably be overcome.  In reality, it is simply the type of divorce two people seek when they are looking to get out of a marriage, and serves as a mechanism to ending a marriage with the least amount of drama. It also provides an avenue for victims of abuse to leave a marriage without a burden of proving anything beyond that the marriage itself is unsustainable. State Representative Matt Krause is attempting to pass two bills in 2017.  The first bill increases the amount of time that two people must wait before a divorce is finalized.  This is in an attempt to get a couple to work out of their problems, instead of a divorce. The second bill that Rep. Matt Krause is putting forward will make it hard for all people to get a divorce.  This bill would make divorce only possible for criminal reasons such as abuse and adultery.  While Mr. Krause states he isn’t trying to deter people from getting divorces, he also says he hopes […]