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Monthly Archives: August 2013

Guideline Child Support Doesn’t Make Sense For My family. What Other Factors Does The Court Consider?

Texas has specific guidelines related to the amount of child support that should be paid each month. The guidelines consider the income of the obligor, or the person paying child support, and the amount of children to be supported. While the amount child support is ordered is based off of these guidelines in most cases, child support can be increased or decreased from the guideline amount depending on a series of factors listed in Texas Family Code §154.123. The Court must consider all relevant factors when deviating from child support. These factors include:

The Laws About Retroactive Child Support in Texas

Texas Courts may order what is known as ‘retroactive child support.’ This means that in addition to requiring a parent to pay child support going forward, a parent may be ordered to pay back child support for previous times when that parent was not helping to support the child. In order for a court to order retroactive child support, the court must first find that no previous order regarding child support was in place, or that the previous order in place was terminated prior to the time frame for which back child support is requested. If someone is ordered to pay child support and fails to do so, those missed payments are known as arrears, not retroactive child support, and a different process is in place for collecting back payments.

What Happens After Divorce Mediation In Texas?

In Texas, many cases are settled during mediation. A mediation agreement is a binding agreement signed by all parties and their attorneys that resolves all of the issues in case. Once an agreement is reached, the most difficult part of the case is over, but there are still several steps that need to be taken to finalize the agreement. First, the mediator files the agreement with the court. In most cases, the agreement is filed within twenty-four hours. In many courts, especially in cases involving child custody, one party must “prove up” the mediated settlement agreement in front of the judge.

Just Divorced? What Next? Post-Divorce Checklist!

You are now divorced! What next? First and foremost, after your divorce has been finalized, several steps remain to be completed. The list below will help you sort through the many outstanding issues that may need to be addressed shortly after entering your final orders. Post Divorce Checklist: 1. Ensure that all documents related to the division of property are filed with the Court, including a qualified domestic relations order or special warranty deed.

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