Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce, Mediation, Top 5 Divorce Articles
Mediation is very popular as a method for settling divorce cases rather than going to trial and it has many proponents. But why should you attempt mediation rather than go forward at trial?
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Divorce
If you and the other parent of your child are in agreement to change your current custody arrangement due to your child’s preference, you can do a simple agreed modification which will involve minimal court involvement.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
If you are an adult in the State of Texas and desire to legally change your current name, there are procedural steps that must be taken before a court will sign an order granting a legal name change.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce, Hiring a Divorce Lawyer
A divorce attorney is going to represent you in one of the most difficult and trying periods in an adult’s life, a divorce. You want a competent person to represent your interests to the best of their abilities. Below are a few qualities a good divorce attorney should have:
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Texas has a mandatory sixty-day waiting period from the date a person files an Original Petition for Divorce before they are eligible to formally receive a divorce from the Court. This is outlined in Section 6.702 of the Texas Family Code. In almost all circumstances, you will be required to wait the statutorily-required sixty days before you are able to finalize your divorce.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
The reality of any family law matter is that the costs associated can be very high. This is problematic for low income parties who still need competent representation. If you are in need of legal representation but can’t afford a retainer and attorney’s fees, the Houston area has several organizations which offer pro bono or reduced cost legal representation.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce, Top 5 Divorce Articles
Marriage can be confusing enough on its own, but several states still have laws on the books that may make you scratch your head.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
If a court has determined that you have met the burden of proof for needing spousal maintenance, the next step is determining for what period of time you may be eligible to receive spousal maintenance. The Texas Family Code previously stated that a party could only receive spousal maintenance for a maximum of three years. The Code was recently amended and now states that a person is eligible to receive spousal maintenance for the maximum of:
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, Visitation and Access
Under the Texas Family Code, the right to receive child support and the right to visitation are two independent rights that do not have any weight on the other right. The ability to visit with your children is not dependent on your ability to pay child support. The obligation to pay child support does not disappear if the responsible parent is denied visitation or chooses to no longer possess the child during their periods of visitation.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce, Top 5 Divorce Articles, Uncontested Divorce
Transfer of property
Your Final Decree of Divorce will include language awarding property to you and your ex, however that is not the final step in the process of awarding property. Make sure that, if relevant to your case, documents such as Special Warranty Deeds, Deeds of Trust or Powers of Attorneys are signed, notarized and filed with the proper entities. Don’t wait until an issue pops up down the road to discover that you never transferred the title to a piece of property, make sure it’s all handled quickly after your divorce is finalized.
