Family Law

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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In Texas, there are a few different ways a man can be designated as a the legal father of a child. First, he could be presumed to be the father as he is married to the mother of the child and the time the child is born. He could be adjudicated by the court to be the father by petitioning the court to establish paternity. Paternity could also be established through genetic screening. In some cases, the mother and father of the child could sign a document called an “Acknowledgement of Paternity.
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Have you considered adoption? It can be a daunting process, but it may just be the most rewarding thing you do in your life! To help you out on your journey, we want to give you a bird’s eye view of the Texas adoption process.

Texas Adoption Process

If you have decided to move forward with adoption, congratulations! This is a big step and you are about to embark on quite the journey. You join many other Texas families in the adoption community. Texas permits single and married adults to adopt so long as they are at least 21 years of age, financially stable, and:

• Provide references
• Provide proof of marriage, when applicable
• Provide proof of divorce, when applicable
• Complete a home study
• Submit to a criminal background check and child abuse check (along with all other adults living in the household)
• Complete an adoption application

After deciding to adopt, the next big decision will be what type of adoption you wish to pursue. While some have their hearts set on adopting an infant, others are open to adopting older children.
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Child support can be a delicate subject, to say the least. While some people get distracted by sending payments to their former spouse or co-parent, it is important to remember that child support is put in place to help ensure that both parents are providing financial support to their child. After all, both parents have a legal responsibility to provide such support to a child that is their own. While child support is often ordered in situations where parents are not married or are no longer married, you may be wondering whether or not child support is mandatory in Texas.

Is Child Support Mandatory in Texas?

Child support is not mandatory to be ordered in all cases, but a child support order is often put in place in most cases.
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There is really no other way to say it. Divorce is tough. It may be the toughest thing you have to go through. This can be true regardless of how amiable you are with your soon-to-be former spouse. It can be true regardless of how cooperative you both are during the divorce process.
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A parenting plan in Texas is a legal document which formally declares the rights and responsibilities of each parent with regard to their shared child. Other states refer to parenting plans as “custody agreements” as the plan itself details things like possession, conservatorship, and even child support. It is often the case that a court will either encourage or require each parent to submit a proposed plan If both parents agree upon a single plan, the judge is likely to accept the plan unless it would run afoul of the best interests of the child. Once a judge includes the parenting plan in a court order, it becomes legally binding and enforceable.

Texas Parenting Plan Requirements

There is certain information that must be included in a Texas parenting plan.
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Spousal support, commonly referred to as “alimony,” can be a controversial topic and a contentious issue in divorce proceedings. Under Texas law, there are three different types of alimony potentially available to those in the midst of a marital dissolution. Each type comes with its own conditions and requirement that must be met for a person to qualify for it.
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If you are going through a divorce in Texas, there may seem to be endless uncertainties before you. One of your primary concerns may be where you will live and who will get the marital home. The home is, after all, not just one of a couple’s most substantial assets, but also one that can be filled with emotional attachment.
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In the legal sense of the word, paternity refers to the legally established father of a child. Under the law, a child’s legal father has certain rights and responsibilities concerning that child. In establishing paternity, a person is declared to be the legal father of the child. Not every child will have a legal father although, of course, they will have one biologically speaking. Legal establishment of paternity can help a child foster a relationship with both parents.

Many struggle with divorce. It marks such a fundamental life shift, a change to the core structure of the family, that uncertainty and other powerful emotions can run high. While divorce can be the best path towards a brighter future, it can still be difficult to go through.
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Even in the most amicable of divorces, it is likely that you will, at one time or another, need to go to divorce court. The judge will need to have you in court for a final hearing, at the very least. In less amicable divorces, it is more likely that you will be spending much more time in court as the court works to resolve any outstanding issues incident to divorce between you and your soon-to-be former spouse.
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