Family Law Services the Navarrete & Schwartz Team Provides
Our lawyers have the intricate knowledge of the law, the skill set, and the extensive experience to guide you through all matters pertaining to adoption, divorce, paternity, and domestic violence. Having an insightful attorney can make all the difference when it comes to:
- Paying close attention to the details that make your family unique
- Drafting and executing accurate and binding legal documents
- Offering an objective viewpoint and rational thinking at moments of high emotion
- Providing outstanding negotiation and litigation strategies
- Protecting you and your children from imminent danger or uncomfortable living arrangements
Contact Our Accomplished Family Law Attorneys Today
No matter what kind of family law issue you are dealing with, you do not have to handle it alone. The sooner you get in touch with us, the sooner we can take steps to lift your burden and take over the legal and logistical matters that are overwhelming you. Contact us now to talk with our competent, compassionate professionals.
Family Law Matters Our Team Routinely Handles
Divorce
Divorce is a complex issue with legal, financial, and emotional components. The divorce attorneys at Navarrete & Schwartz are well-prepared to protect your rights and the rights of your children as we guide you through the divorce process with minimal stress. We have a history of negotiating favorable results in the following areas:
- Division of Assets: Texas follows the principle of community property in which assets acquired during marriage are considered joint property and typically split equally unless they were designated as a gift, inheritance, or lawsuit settlement for only one spouse. Property acquired before the marriage is considered separate property that need not be shared at the time of divorce. Nonetheless, the division of assets can be complicated by other factors, such as the length of the marriage, contributions of each spouse to the household, and each spouse’s ability to self-sustain financially.
- Child Custody and Support: The court always makes the best interest of the child its top priority. In Texas, the court chooses either a joint managing conservatorship, in which both parents share rights and duties, or a sole managing conservatorship, in which only one parent has primary oversight. Child support is then determined based on the noncustodial parent’s income and the number of children they have to support.
- Visitation: Visitation rights are decided based on what’s best for the child. In most cases, it is deemed best for the child to spend as much time as practical with each parent. If one parent has a criminal background, substance abuse problems, a history of domestic violence, or mental instability, visits may be supervised or not granted at all. Because each situation is different, the court will customize custody arrangements to suit each child’s specific needs.
- Spousal Support: Spousal maintenance is no longer a given as it was decades ago when most families had only one working parent. Now, to qualify for spousal support, the receiving spouse must lack sufficient assets and the ability to support themself. In some cases, temporary spousal support is provided to enable the receiving spouse to receive further education or training to prepare for employment. For spousal support to be ordered, the marriage must typically have lasted at least 10 years or there must be other compelling circumstances like the receiving spouse suffering from a disability or serious illness.
- Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements: Our attorneys recommend these contracts since they clarify how assets will be divided in case the marriage takes a bad turn. These legal documents, when well-drafted, can minimize disputes and make asset division much simpler and less stressful by predetermining which assets are marital and which belong to individual spouses.
Divorce Mediation
In many cases, divorce need not be a battle. Divorce mediation provides a less adversarial alternative to litigation. The process involves a neutral third party who helps couples find common ground and reach agreements. It moves more quickly than a court procedure, preserves privacy, and is generally less painful for all parties, including children. Of course, mediation does not work in all cases. In situations involving domestic violence, substance abuse, or uncontrolled rage, couples will need the participation of two opposing attorneys.
Adoption
The happiest aspect of family law, adoption is the legal process of becoming the parent of a child that is not biologically your own. In Texas, as in all states, there are stringent requirements that must be met before you enlarge your family through adoption. You must pass a background check and be subjected to home studies to verify that your home is safe and that you are a stable and loving parent.
Whether you are seeking to adopt your stepchild, a child from a person you know or have connected with, or a child from an adoption agency in the U.S. or from another country, our adoption attorneys can facilitate the process. Adoption involves extended waiting periods and can be quite costly, but for the parents who want a child, it is worth every hour and every penny.
Paternity
Establishing paternity can be an issue for a mother who is entitled to child support or for a father who wants to have a relationship with his child. If parents are married when the child is born, the husband is automatically recognized as the father. Otherwise, establishing paternity is crucial in determining child support responsibility, visitation rights, and inheritance protocol. Our attorneys can assist you in getting a paternity test and following up on its results.
Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is the dark side of family law. As domestic violence attorneys, we offer victims protection in the form of protective orders, safe houses, alterations in child custody agreements, and legal actions to mandate counseling for offenders and/or prohibit them from possessing or purchasing weapons.
