Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
For many people, divorce is one the most stressful times in their lives. When a marriage ends, spouses experience a variety of feelings and sometimes act on those feelings in ways that hurt themselves and other people. One way that spouses can forego some of the pain associated with divorce is by using mediation to …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Divorce, General
Divorce is a traumatic process for the individuals whose marriage is ending as well as their families and children. Because the process is messy, filled with emotions and incredibly stressful, there are many misconceptions surrounding divorces. People should consider these common misconceptions and remember that hiring a Houston divorce lawyer can help them find a …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce, Mediation
Divorce is an emotionally draining process. Much of this is by nature, as it’s hard for people to avoid feeling pain while ending their marriage. Some emotional pain, however, can be avoided, and mediation is a good way to do this. There are many myths surrounding mediation, but the process benefits a variety of divorcing …
Continue reading "Divorce Mediation: Ramos Law Group, PLLC Debunks the Myths"
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Divorce can be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life, not only for themselves but for their children and entire family. Uncontested divorces are one way to minimize the stress of this major life event. Uncontested divorces happen when the two spouses agree to a divorce settlement without going through the arduous …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Divorce is a matter of law, and there are legal protections intended to prevent unjust financial outcomes to the proceeding. In Texas, one of these protections in is alimony or spousal maintenance, which protects against one spouse from suffering from extreme economic hardship after the divorce. Only a limited number of couples qualify for alimony …
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Often one person decides to move out of the marital home prior to or in the beginning stages of a divorce. If the home was purchased during the course of the marriage, then the home is considered community property no matter who is living in the home, or whose name is on the paperwork, at the time of the divorce. Moving out will not affect your financial interest in the property, you will be entitled to share of the equity in the home regardless of where you are living. Moving out can have several other consequences, however, and is a step that should be considered carefully. While both parties are entitled to a portion of the equity of the home, this does not necessarily mean the home must be sold. Sometimes, one party wants to remain in the home and 'buy out' the other party. If both parties are hoping to continue living in the home after the divorce, the person who moves out will have a weaker case. The person who moves out will have to convince a judge to change something, while the person who stayed in the home will just have to convince the judge to keep things the way they are. If you want to keep the home after the divorce, it is important to remain in the home while the divorce is pending.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce
Although pets feel like family, they are considered property for the purposes of a divorce. That means like all property, if the pet was purchased (or adopted) during the course of the marriage, the pet is considered community property. If the pet was acquired prior to the marriage, then the pet is the separate property of the person who brought it into the marriage, regardless of who cared more for the pet, or paid for the pet during the marriage. Gifts and inheritance are also separate property, so if the pet was given to one party, or acquired through inheritance, then the pet will belong to the party to whom the pet was given.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce, General
Texas recognizes an informal marriage, or what is often called a common law marriage, in very limited circumstances. Simply living together, sharing a residence, or even having children together is not enough to create to a common law marriage, regardless of how long you have been a couple. Several specific factors must be met in order to create an informal marriage under the Texas Family Code: 1. A man and a woman, neither of whom are married to anyone else and who are over the age of eighteen,
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Client Area, Divorce
Records of family law proceedings are available online in many Texas counties. Divorces are usually a matter of public record and many Texas counties are working to make such records more easily accessible to the general population. The information available online varies by county, but generally case details such as the style of the case and the names of the parties are available. Many counties also provide information regarding court costs, hearing dates, lists of all pleadings, names of attorneys involved, and even images of some court documents, like original petitions for divorce or temporary orders signed by the judge.
Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Divorce, Mediation
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.
