Family and Criminal Law Blog

If you are contemplating divorce or are about to get a divorce, you probably have a lot of questions about your future and about what happens during divorce proceedings. One of the most contested issues in a divorce relates to alimony, also referred to as “spousal support.” While Texas allows for the awarding of spousal support, called “spousal maintenance” in Texas, in a divorce, there are very specific eligibility requirements that must be met. There will also be a thorough analysis regarding how much alimony should be paid and how long the alimony award should last.

How Long Will I Have to Pay Alimony?

While divorcing parties may reach an agreement regarding alimony on their own, for a spouse to make a demand for alimony, there are certain eligibility requirements that must be met.

There are many laws, both federal and state, that address criminal conduct. Different types of criminal offenses often involve the application of multiple laws. For instance, drug crimes in Texas can involve several different laws, even those beyond the Texas Penal Code. The Texas Controlled Substance Act, for instance, plays a central role in

The terms DUI and DWI often get mixed up, intertwined, and used interchangeably. They do, however, represent different offenses in the State of Texas. Furthermore, there are other offenses related to a DUI or DWI charge that a person may face as well. Here, we will discuss some of the different

Paternity refers to the legal standing of being a father to a child. The fact that a person is considered to be a child’s legal father means that he has certain rights and obligations in regards to that child. With paternity legally established, a father will be entitled to things such as custody and visitation rights and will also be obligated to provide support for the child.
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There are so many issues at play in a divorce. Things can turn to a mess at many different levels. One such level involves finances.
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Have you been called as a witness in a criminal trial? This can be a nerve wracking experience, even if you are not necessarily the one standing trial. A witness is called by either the prosecution or the defense. The attorney who calls the witness will have the first opportunity to question them on what is referred to as “direct examination” or “direct.
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Have you decided that your best path going forward involves divorce? It is the right decision for many and can signal a fresh, brighter start for many people and their families. To help ease the process, many reap the benefits offered by divorce mediation. A frequently used negotiating method in the divorce settlement process, divorce mediation involves you and your spouse retaining a neutral third party, referred to as the “mediator,” and you all meet together to discuss and work to resolve the issues incident to the divorce.

Divorce is stressful even under the most amicable, honest, and open of circumstances. Throw in complex financial matters and spouses that are being less than forthright and transparent with critical pieces of information and things can get tumultuous fast, to say the least. Financial matters can be some of the most heated, contentious matters to be addressed during a divorce.

A prenup, prenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement often gets a bad name. People can have some very strong opinions of a premarital agreement and, commonly, these opinions are not favorable, to say the least. Premarital agreements, however, have many benefits that are often overlooked. A legally binding contract that can establish how spouses will divide assets and liabilities in the event of a

Should you be facing the possibility of a criminal trial, you will need to decide whether or not you want a jury trial or a bench trial. The basic difference between the two is easy enough to state. A jury trial is when a criminal case is presented before a jury and the jury decides on the verdict.

While the focus on many shows about the criminal justice system may be on the courtroom battle, most criminal cases end up getting settled out of court, before the need for a full-blown trial. This is because the defendant and prosecutor have come to a plea bargain regarding the criminal defendant. What exactly is a plea bargain? We will discuss it in more detail here.