The First Steps You Should Take Oftentimes, when clients come to my office seeking a divorce, they have already committed to the idea that they and their partners are going to be splitting up. They already flew through days filled with fights and tears, rode the waves of resentment and traveled down the marriage counseling pathway. At the end of their journey, the two parties acknowledge that this marriage has now come to an end. Many of my clients are very upfront about … [Read more...]
Tips For Handling Stress In A Divorce
It’s obvious that going through a divorce is stressful. In fact, the top five stressful life events include: death of a loved one, divorce, moving,major illness or injury, orjob loss. When you think about it, divorce can include some, if not all of those events. Dr. Karen Finn, www.drfinn.com, divorce and personal life coach and author of On the Road from Heartbreak to Happiness, lists the following helpful tips for managing stress in divorce: Deep … [Read more...]
Refinance and Owelty Liens
In many divorce situations, one of the most important and emotional decisions is which party will keep the marital home. In some cases, both parties agree to sell the home and divide the equity. In other cases, one spouse decides to keep the home and then needs to buy out the other spouse’s equity. In order to do this, the spouse keeping the home will need to refinance. The refinance will not only allow the equity buyout, but it will also remove the exiting spouse’s name from the note and … [Read more...]
Extramarital Affairs: Why is the Collaborative Process Better than Taking it to the Judge?
Much to the surprise of the general public, adultery has very little impact on the outcome of a litigated divorce. There is a common misconception that an extramarital affair will be the smoking gun that changes the course of the divorce in the courtroom. The innocent spouse usually believes that the Judge will be appalled and offended, punishing the unfaithful spouse and rewarding the innocent spouse. In fact, that's not what happens under Texas law. Although infidelity is a … [Read more...]
Putting The Kids First In Your Divorce
Many times in my career as a family lawyer I was appointed by a judge as an amicus or ad litem attorney with the job of representing the best interests of the children whose parents were going through a divorce. As such, I would meet with my young clients to find out how I could best help them, and what I heard time and time again was the complaint: “Please make my parents stop fighting.” What this told me was that the parents were not able to put their own anger and fears aside and focus on … [Read more...]
CoParenting After Separation and Beyond
You and your spouse have decided to separate and set the date for the move. Now what? You’ve seen couples start this process with the best of intentions, only to find themselves derailed and fighting even more fiercely than before the separation. You both resolve not to do that to your kids, but how? Separation Changes Your CoParenting Relationship CoParenting simply means adults who share the parenting responsibilities in raising a child. Parents find working as a team while … [Read more...]
Eight Factors Judges Use When Deciding Who Makes Decisions About The Children After A Divorce
During a litigated divorce, judges must decide who will have the right to make non-emergency decisions about children’s living arrangement, where they will attend school, their medical care, and their religious training. Courts may award sole custody to one parent or give both parents the joint right to make decisions about their children. Having sole custody means one parent need not consult with the other parent when making decisions about the children. On the other hand, … [Read more...]
What To Do When Your Spouse Says He Or She Wants A Divorce
What do you do if you’re the person on the receiving end of the news that your marriage is ending? You have had no chance to prepare yourself to respond when faced with a devastating event that will change everything. You have raged or screamed or reeled and experienced feelings that are so large and overwhelming that you thought they would grab you by the heels and drag you down into the depths of despair until you drowned. You may have begged and pleaded with your spouse or replayed … [Read more...]
Big Give San Antonio
What To Expect In A Texas Divorce
Both parties are frustrated during a divorce, because the spouse who wants the divorce feels the process is too slow, and the spouse who wants to save the marriage wants to slow things down. Ultimately, the outcome of your divorce will depend on whether you choose a collaborative or an adversarial divorce. A collaborative divorce offers many benefits, including privacy, lower cost, transparency, client control, convenience, preserving family relationships, protecting children, … [Read more...]
