Family and Criminal Law Blog

Historically, premarital agreements may have gotten a bad rap. Mentioning putting one in place prior to a marriage was a sensitive subject to say the least. Nowadays, premarital agreements may still need to be approached with a sensitivity to the serious feelings involved, but so many more people view premarital agreements as a gateway to a stronger marriage as opposed to planning for divorce before the marriage gets started.

So, what about these modern prenups helps a couple prepare for a solid marriage with an open pathway for communication and more managed expectations for the road ahead? It is all in what is included in the premarital agreement as well as having those tough conversations before vows are exchanged. We’ll talk more specifically here about what you should consider including in your premarital agreement.
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Did you know that assault is one of the most often committed crimes in the U.S.? In fact, even here in Texas, assault charges have increased in recent years. A serious charge, assault can have far reaching consequences beyond the initial fines and other penalties you may incur if your assault charge becomes an assault conviction landing on your criminal record. Fortunately, there are a number of solid defenses strategies that can be employed to help you avoid criminal liability for assault.
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Parents have a legal obligation to provide financial support to their children. This is true regardless of whether the parents are married to each other or not. In the event that parents are not married, it is usually the noncustodial parent who will make monthly child support payments to the custodial parent in order to uphold their obligation to provide financial support to their child. In order to calculate how much child support one parent will pay to the other, Texas courts use a child support formula which focuses a lot on the income levels of the parents. In most cases, parents are honest and hardworking.
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While adultery is probably the thing that comes to mind most commonly when marital misconduct is mentioned, it is far from the only example of marital misconduct. After all, marital misconduct spans so much more than adultery and infidelity. Legally speaking, marital misconduct refers to any improper act perpetrated by one spouse against the other or against the marriage itself. This means that marital misconduct may include abandonment and drug abuse as well as a conviction of a crime or a failure to support. It may include domestic violence and it may include bigamy.
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The majority of marriages start off with both spouses pursuing their own careers and having their own streams of income. As the marriage progresses and children come along, the financial dynamic of the couple can drastically change. It still remains a pretty common practice for the lower wage earner to leave the workforce in order to take care of the children and household. With the astronomical cost of childcare and logistical challenges that come with managing a work schedule and children, this makes the most sense for certain families. Unfortunately, the person who left the workforce can face steep, but not insurmountable, challenges in the event of a divorce.
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In the face of criminal charges, it is not the time to try and go it alone. Retaining dedicated legal counsel can be the most important decision you make in your life. It can mean avoiding lengthy prison time and steep fines. It can mean avoiding carrying a criminal record around with you everywhere you go, from job interviews to housing applications. The reasons you should hire a criminal defense attorney are worth highlighting as life changing consequences hang in the balance if you are confronting criminal charges.
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Child support involves payments made by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent. These payments are to help ensure that both parents are providing financial support for their child in order to meet the child’s needs. As such, you can probably understand why Texas courts do not take well when a parent fails to meet their child support obligation.
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When a person is charged with committing a crime, there are a number of defense strategies that can be employed to help them be acquitted. Most commonly, a defense strategy will involve undermining the prosecution’s case. After all, as all defendants are innocent until proven guilty, the burden rests with the prosecution to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. By undermining the prosecution’s case, doubt is cast on it and it can be a barrier to having the jury convinced of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest legal burden to meet in the U.S.
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There are many hot-button issues addressed during divorce proceedings, but one of the most notorious ones is that of alimony. Alimony is paid from one spouse to the other either during or after a divorce. In Texas, alimony is referred to as “spousal maintenance” or, simply, “maintenance.” The paying or receiving of alimony can have profound impacts on the financial life of either spouse well after a divorce has been finalized. It is an important issue and one you should gain at least a familiarity with prior to going through a divorce.
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Child support is standard in many custody orders issued by Texas courts. In most, but not all, cases child support is so ordered in a custody dispute between two parents who are divorcing. With limited exceptions, child support is paid by the non-custodial parent to the noncustodial parent in order to provide financial support to meet the needs of the child. The exact amount of child support ordered will depend on a number of different factors involved in the case. With all of the complexities involved in these kinds of cases, you may be left wondering what child support payments are actually designed and supposed to cover and what they are not.
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Conviction of a misdemeanor in Texas is a serious matter. While the penalties may not be as severe as those of a felony conviction, it can still change the rest of your life. In addition to steep fines and jail time, a misdemeanor conviction can also make it difficult for you to find a job and secure housing. Here is what you can expect to potentially face if you are charged and convicted of one of the three classes of misdemeanors in Texas.

What are the Three Classes of Misdemeanors in Texas?

Texas law divides misdemeanor offenses into three different classes.