Travis Family Judges Roundtable Discussion on COVID Issues
I recently attended a virtual continuing legal education discussion put on by the Austin Bar Association which addressed the topic of “Back to School Issues in Light of COVID-19: A Discussion Between Bench and Bar.” It was moderated by Patricia Dixon and included Judge Andy Hathcock, Judge Catherine Mauzy, Judge James Arth, and Judge Julio de la Llata.
Below are my notes and comments on a few of the issues addressed:
Continue reading →Five Tips to Help Your Divorce Lawyer Do a Good Job for You
In my over two decades as a divorce attorney I have seen clients handle their divorces extraordinarily well and I’ve also seen clients make some big mistakes in how they handled their divorce. Here are my five best tips on how to help your divorce lawyer do a good job on your case.
Continue reading →Parenting When Your Ex Is Rich and You Are Not
As a practicing attorney since 1994 I have frequently seen clients have to scale back their lifestyle dramatically after the divorce. To a certain extent this is to be expected anytime you take the same amount of income and you go from one household to two. This type of situation requires a bit of belt-tightening for both parties and is very common.
Continue reading →How to Successfully Mediate Temporary Orders in a Divorce Case
One of the most important phases of a divorce case is the temporary orders stage. In some jurisdictions the parties agree to and attend mediation to attempt to reach an agreement on the temporary orders. In other jurisdictions (such as many of the courts in which I practice) attending mediation is mandatory prior to a temporary orders hearing. Below are what I believe are the keys to successfully mediating temporary orders. Continue reading →
Free Report – Seven Keys to a Fair Property Division in Your Texas Divorce
This is a 20 page report that is designed to provide some basic information on how to ensure that you get a good result in the property division of a Texas divorce case.
Some of the areas addressed include:
- What information/documents you should compile as you prepare for divorce
- Whether it is a good idea to “hide” assets
- What kind of divorce attorney you should hire
- How your emotions can work against you in your divorce case
- The significance of separate property claims
- Whether the property will be automatically divided 50/50
- How the possibility of alimony relates to your property division
Post-Divorce Alimony in Texas
Overview
This article provides a brief overview on Texas law concerning post-divorce alimony in Texas. Laws differ from state to state and individual circumstances vary, so you should consult with a qualified family law attorney in your area for specific advice on your particular situation. Additionally, this article deals only with post-divorce alimony. It does not address Continue reading →
Visitation – Birthday vs. Holiday Schedule
On my other website (morganlawlakeway.com) I recently responded to a comment which asked an interesting question – what happens under the Standard Possession Order when a child’s birthday falls on one of the designated holiday periods.
It was interesting to me that Continue reading →
Four Tips to Save Money in Your Divorce Case
Tip #1 – Have a Clear Written Fee Agreement
Most experienced and effective divorce attorneys charge by the hour and require an advance retainer (lawyer speak for a deposit) that is paid at the beginning of the case. Fees and expenses will be charged against the retainer until it is exhausted, at which point the client will be responsible for any additional sums incurred.
Clients will sometimes seek an attorney who will represent them on a flat fee basis, thinking that this will save them money. The problem with this Continue reading →
What Issues Must be Resolved in a Texas Divorce?
If you need a divorce the best case scenario is that all issues be resolved by a fair agreement. Contested divorce cases and trials can be expensive, exhausting, and are often unnecessary.
People sometimes wrongly assume that their divorce will be “uncontested” because neither spouse wishes to remain married. The reality is that there are usually several other issues that must be agreed to (or decided by a judge) before a divorce can be finalized. The following is a brief outline of a few areas that Continue reading →
How to Select a Divorce Attorney
Selecting a divorce lawyer to handle your case is a very important decision. The following are a few criteria for use in helping to decide on the right attorney.
Experience
Any divorce lawyer you consider should have substantial experience in handling divorce cases. Your lawyer should practice primarily (preferably exclusively) in the field of family law. Often people will hire a lawyer who practices primarily in some other area, thinking that any lawyer will do. However, Continue reading →