For older people in Texas contemplating divorce, the impact of the end of a marriage on spousal Social Security benefits is an issue that requires careful consideration. First, it is good to know the general rules about qualifying for such benefits. Either a spouse or...
Practicing Family Law With Heart For More Than 30 Years
Austin Texas Family Law Blog
Prenuptial agreements must be carefully done
Prenuptial agreements can be very useful for a good number of couples getting married in Texas. It can help make sure, for example, that children from a prior marriage are adequately provided for in the event of death or divorce and help protect a business or...
Lawsuit challenges Texas ban on same-sex marriage
A lawsuit by two same-sex couples, one female and one male, challenges the current ban on gay and lesbian marriage in the Texas state Constitution. That constitutional provision, adopted by voters in 2005, defines marriage as limited to those between one man and one...
Cocaine allegedly planted to influence child custody
A 58-year-old grandmother from Texas has been accused of trying to plant cocaine and other drugs in an effort to influence a child custody battle over her granddaughter. She was arrested and charged with child abuse. Police asserted that she gave her 9-year-old...
Matriarch of Kardashian clan reportedly lacks prenup
People in Texas thinking of getting married need to examine whether they should have a prenuptial agreement. A recent news story serves as a cautionary tale. Kris Jenner, known as the matriarch of the celebrity Kardashian clan, and her husband Bruce are reported to...
Wait for child support cases in El Paso to shorten
A huge backlog of child support cases in the courthouse in El Paso, Texas, has left some parents waiting as long as four months to get in front of a judge. One of the problems there in processing these important family law cases has been the fact that only one judge...
Texas banker involved in stormy child custody battle
A Texas banker is involved in a stormy child custody battle with his ex-wife in a New York court over the custody of the couple's two minor children. One of the latest developments is that a judge in the case is allowing the ex-wife to be questioned by the husband's...
Both negotiation and litigation can play a role in divorce
People in Texas who have gone through a divorce can tell you from their own experience that both negotiation and litigation can play a role in resolving differences and disagreements. It is foolish to immediately take the posture that you are going to fight each and...
Divorced parents need to work together for children’s benefit
You divorce your spouse, but you don't divorce your children. Children whose family has gone through a divorce need the security and comfort of feeling certain that both parents are still there for them and still love them. Children who have a high degree of...
No divorces for Texas same sex married couples?
While Texas does not recognize same-sex marriages, there are a number of Texas residents who were legally married in another state or country that does allow it. Once they do that, under recent rulings, the IRS regards them as married for federal tax purposes even if...