Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
It may not be what you want to hear if you are involved in one, but it is true that contested divorce in Texas typically takes longer than an uncontested proceeding. When parties can agree on the key issues, there are fewer trips to court and no need for litigation related to asset division, spousal …
Continue reading "Does a Contested Divorce Take Significantly Longer Than an Uncontested Divorce?"
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Family Law
Texas takes situations of domestic violence very seriously, which is why lawmakers implemented a process through which a victim can petition for an order of protection to guard against future abuse and misconduct. The petitioner (or movant) must file certain pleadings and comply with court procedural rules to obtain such an injunction initially, and there …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Client Area, Courts, News
Covid-19 Court Policies (as of May 3, 2021) As the State of Texas is “officially open,” many Texans who are litigants to pending family law suits may be wondering how that affects their case. Each county has handled court matters differently. This is a short summary (current as of the date of publication) as to …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody
In Texas, many parents share joint managing conservatorship, which is our state’s term for joint custody. While conservatorship is labeled as joint, one parent is named the primary conservator and the other, by default, is the non-primary parent. Only lawyers typically use the word conservator. So for primary conservator think “custodial parent,” and for non-primary …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody
Time with our children is precious, and parents will typically do anything to spend as much time together as possible. However, as children grow older this can become more difficult. Children develop a mind of their own and increasingly begin asserting their independence. This is a healthy part of any child’s development. Unfortunately, it can …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Divorce, Divorce For Dads™, News, Visitation and Access
Per the Texas Family Code’s Standard Possession Order (and generally most possession orders although not all), parents who have been awarded a possession schedule in a divorce decree or custody order need to designate their intended periods of summer possession to the custodial parent or primary conservator by April 1st. Failure to designate a specific period of possession typically results in the default summer period of July 1st at 6:00 p.m. to July 31st at 6:00 p.m.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Protective Orders
You may have been the victim of domestic violence and received a Protective Order but the provisions are not expansive enough to truly keep you safe from your abuser.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Protective Orders
The legal answer is – it depends! There have been situations where we have seen a judge refuse to let an applicant dismiss (or nonsuit) a request for a protective order based on the facts in the original suit and the supporting affidavit.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Not every couple agrees that a marriage is over. Sometimes, one spouse holds out hope of reconciliation, or he or she tries to make divorce as difficult as possible by refusing to participate in the legal process. However, Texas law is clear that a person cannot stay married against their will. Our state changed its …
Continue reading "My Spouse Refuses to Get a Divorce: What Do I Do?"
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Divorces come in many shapes and sizes in Texas. No two divorces are exactly alike, but they all start the same way—by filing an Original Petition for Divorce in the proper court. The divorce process must begin with an Original Petition being filed, a Court does not have the jurisdiction to grant a divorce until …
