WHAT IS A ‘STANDARD POSSESSION ORDER’ FOR CHILDREN IN TEXAS? In Texas, courts use the term “standard possession orders” (SPO) rather than the typically used “visitation” or “custody” terminology. SPOs dictate when each parent (or non-parent) has the legal right to spend time with a child. Access is based on the best interests of the…
CHILD SUPPORT: HOW MUCH?… AND WHAT DOES IT COVER? How Much is Child Support? Until a judge hands down your final order, it’s impossible to know exactly how much child support you’ll owe. We use a formula that based on the guidelines set by the Texas Family Code: Payer’s Annual Income (÷) 12 months (-)…
HOW DOES INFIDELITY AFFECT THE DIVORCE PROCESS Alimony Texas judges may consider one party’s infidelity when awarding alimony to the other party. One spouse’s indiscretion, whether the parties are living apart or not, can be used to influence the nature, amount, duration, and manner of alimony payments to the other spouse. In short, if you…
ADVANTAGES OF FILING FOR DIVORCE FIRST IN TEXAS Although being the petitioner may not affect the judge’s final ruling, there can be some benefits to being the first to file. These advantages may include: Choosing the County in Which You File – if you and your spouse are currently separated and live in different counties, you…
WHO PAYS CHILD SUPPORT WHEN PARENTS HAVE SPLIT CUSTODY (50%-50%) How Does Texas Define Joint Custody? In Texas, custody is often referred to as a conservatorship. When parents have joint custody, it is a joint managing conservatorship. While joint custody might seem to indicate each parent physically has the child 50% of the time, that…
HOW CAN I REDUCE MY CHILD SUPPORT IN TEXAS Texas law provides that parents seeking a reduction in their child support order are eligible for modification only if at least one of the following is true: The prior child custody order established by the court has been in effect for at least three years; ANDThe…
WHAT HAPPENS IF MY SPOUSE REFUSES TO SIGN THE DIVORCE PAPERS Does My Spouse Have to Sign The Divorce Papers for the Divorce to Go Through? Short answer: no, your spouse does not have to sign the divorce papers for your divorce to be finalized. In Texas, one spouse refusing to sign divorce papers does…
CONTESTED DIVORCE: BASIC STEPS/NEED TO KNOW When you and your spouse do not agree on one or more areas of the divorce, you need to file a contested divorce. Here are the required steps in a contested divorce. 1. Petition for Divorce A Petition for Divorce is filed with the court. The petition includes information…
