Family Lawyers in Southlake

A Compassionate Legal Team with Extensive Experience Representing Clients in Complex Family Law Matters Throughout North Texas

While no area of the law can really be called simple or straightforward, some practice areas can be more complicated than others, and family law is one such example. Not only do many family law cases involve large amounts of wealth or property changing hands, but they also involve deep emotional ties and family relationships, which can add unique complexities to already challenging legal matters. When children are involved in a family law case, things can become even more difficult or contentious, as the parties and the courts argue over what they believe is in the children’s best interests.

Whatever type of family law issue you are facing, whether it has children involved, significant assets, business interests, bad faith actions conducted by one party, or other complications, our firm is here to provide you with the personal attention you require to help you seek a favorable resolution to your legal situation. The Texas family lawyers at our firm have extensive experience representing our clients’ best interests in a range of legal matters, including contested or uncontested divorce cases, spousal or child support settlement negotiations, child custody cases, and other high-stakes or contentious family matters.

As your professional legal counsel, we will help you make informed decisions throughout your case, protect your interests and rights at all times, and explain your options as we approach the final resolution of your legal matters. We have a thorough understanding of the Texas Family Code, making us well-equipped to provide high-quality legal representation during these extremely stressful times. To learn more about how we can help you through the difficult days ahead, please get in touch with our law office to schedule your free consultation with our experienced attorneys and staff today.

What is the Importance of Working with an Experienced Family Law Attorney?

When going through tough times involving family law, seek professional legal representation from experienced lawyers well-versed in the relevant practice areas. There are many benefits to hiring professional legal help, but not least of which is the fact that you will no longer feel so alone in your stressful legal situation.

Some of the key benefits of retaining the services of Texas family law attorneys include the following:

Highly skilled attorneys can help you navigate the legal process with their in-depth knowledge and experience practicing the law, which can help you avoid mistakes that could delay or derail your case.
Many family law cases involve contentious disputes among multiple parties, which can make it challenging to maintain a level head throughout the proceedings. An experienced family law attorney can offer impartial legal advice to ensure that you make the most informed decisions possible based upon the relevant facts.
In seeking favorable resolutions to your legal matters, it may be necessary to enter negotiations with the other party. Your family attorney will stay by your side throughout the negotiations to advocate for your interests and help you seek the most favorable outcome possible.
You have legal rights that deserve protection by licensed professionals. Whether you are involved in child custody disputes, negotiating property division, fighting for alimony, or facing any other family law issue, our lawyers can ensure your rights are protected through our personalized approach.
We understand that this is a tough time for you and your loved ones. You’re worried about your family’s future, perhaps especially the future of any children involved in the case. Our knowledgeable attorneys want to help you achieve some level of peace of mind and well-being as we proceed through your legal situation.
Even if you achieve a resolution today, there may be concerns about the future tomorrow. Our family law attorneys will work to ensure that your decisions are sustainable and that any solutions are based on the long term.

What Family Law Services Does Our Southlake Law Office Provide?

If you are taking legal action in a family law case, you need to know that help is available to represent your interests throughout the entire process.

Our experienced attorneys and legal staff have represented clients in Southlake, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, and other surrounding North Texas counties, making us highly qualified to protect your best interests.

Among the family law services we provide are the following:

Divorce

Whether you or the other spouse has decided to end the marriage, you have many legal considerations that must be taken into account before the process can be concluded. Our law office has experience representing clients in both uncontested and contested divorce cases, and we will defend your interests throughout the legal proceedings to help you achieve the outcome you seek. We must advise you not to seek a divorce without professional legal counsel in your corner, as there may be unforeseen difficulties that await you, which could throw your entire case into turmoil. Contact us, and we can assist you throughout the divorce process.

Child Custody

There are many factors involved in all child custody cases, including how the courts decide on sole or joint custody, visitation rights, and parenting schedules; the rights of grandparents; paternity and the associated obligations; and more. There are specific standard child custody orders under the Texas Family Code. Still, sometimes it may be necessary to depart from those guidelines, such as when the child’s safety is a primary concern. We will help develop effective solutions to help you achieve the child custody arrangement you desire.

Child Support

Child support is financial assistance paid to support a child, usually used to cover daily expenses, such as food, clothing, a stable environment, medical care, and educational needs. The primary goal of any child support order is to ensure that children receive the same level of financial support they would have received had their parents remained together. Texas laws require both legal parents to financially support their children after a divorce. Contact our Southlake law firm for legal assistance in these matters.

Property Division

Getting married is not solely about the emotional connection to another person, but it can also be a financial relationship between two adults. When married spouses decide to divorce, one step in the legal process is determining how to divide assets acquired during the marriage. Very rarely is marital property divided 50/50, and many factors may influence its division.

Spousal Support

Also known as spousal maintenance or alimony, spousal support requires one of the divorcing spouses to provide financial support to the other spouse after the divorce is finalized. In some cases, there may be only temporary spousal maintenance orders. In contrast, in others, more long-term financial obligations may be required. Our firm can help you fight for the spousal support order that is fair and agreeable to your situation.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

Marital agreements, such as prenups and postnups, can establish how a married couple wants certain factors to be resolved in the event of separation or divorce. For example, your prenuptial agreement may establish how assets will be divided if your marriage is ultimately dissolved. Drafting a marriage agreement is a proactive way to defend your interests and reduce the need for conflict if things don’t work out between you and your partner.

Modification and Enforcement of Court Orders

Sometimes, there may be a reason to modify an existing court order for child support, spousal maintenance, custody, or other divorce settlements. Usually, the party requesting the change must submit proof of a significant change in circumstances before the court will allow a modification. To learn more, please contact our North Texas family law firm today.

Adoption

Adopting a child into your family unit is a beautiful act of humanity and love. However, the adoption process is often complicated, time-consuming, and can leave some hopeful adoptive parents feeling dismayed and discouraged. Our firm has extensive experience representing clients in a wide range of family law matters, including adoption proceedings, and we are here to help you achieve the outcome you want for your family.

Paternity

In some cases, such as child support or child custody cases, it may be necessary to call into question the paternity of the father of the children. Once paternity is legally proven, the father has certain rights and responsibilities, including the obligation to provide adequate child support for any of their fathered children. If there is a paternity dispute, our law firm is here to assist you.

Domestic Violence and Abuse

While we often encourage our clients to attempt to reach some common ground and work things out with the other party, sometimes that is inadvisable, especially in cases where there are allegations of domestic violence, child abuse, or neglect. If the other party in your family law case abused you or another family member, you need professional legal counsel to bolster your claims, protect your legal rights, and assist you through the difficult days ahead.

Cohabitation Agreements and Common Law Marriage

Many couples decide to live together without going through the official marriage ceremonies or saying any wedding vows. Texas is one of the states that still recognizes common-law marriage and the rights of those couples. Like a prenuptial agreement, a cohabitation agreement outlines the expectations of the domestic partners should the partnership ever dissolve and the family unit break apart.

Mediation

Some family law cases result in litigation, which can be costly, time-consuming, and emotionally taxing for all involved. Before taking your case to trial, consider alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation. In mediation, you and the other party will attempt to reach common ground by compromising on specific issues in private negotiations. One of the benefits of turning to mediation over litigation is that you and the other party get to decide matters in your case instead of leaving the decisions up to a judge.

How Does the Division of Marital Property Work in Texas Divorce Cases?

Texas is a community property state, and any assets, funds, debts, and other personal property acquired during the marriage will be considered owned equally by the spouses. Any marital property will be subject to the division of assets in the event of a divorce.

Texas also follows equitable distribution rules, which state that community property should be divided fairly but not necessarily equally down the middle. Many factors will influence how property is to be divided fairly.

Assets acquired before marriage or received as gifts and inheritances by one spouse and not both spouses may be considered separate property, which is not subject to the same property division rules in the state. A family law judge must typically approve whether any asset is to be considered separate or shared property.

What Factors May Determine Child Custody, Child Support, and Spousal Maintenance?

Various factors can influence how the courts resolve child support negotiations, child custody disputes, and spousal support settlements.

Texas family law courts consider multiple factors to determine child custody. Still, every decision keeps the child’s best interests at the forefront. Some of the factors that will be considered include the child’s emotional bond to either parent, their physical or special needs, the ability to adjust to new environments, a history of family violence or substance abuse, the health and well-being of either parent, and more.

Some factors that can influence child support obligations include the income-earning capacity of both parents, the child’s age and specific needs, the division of parenting time, and more.

Spousal support is not ordered in every case. There are primary factors that will be considered before a court orders spousal support in your family law case. Those include: the marriage lasted at least a decade, and if the parties agree that spousal support should be paid for a specified length of time. Other factors may also be considered. Contact us to learn more.

Contact Us to Discuss Your Family Law Case in Your Free Initial Consultation Today

Whatever sort of case you are contending with, our Southlake family law attorneys are here to represent your legal needs and help you seek the most favorable outcome possible. We bring years of legal experience and in-depth knowledge of Texas family law, making us highly qualified to represent your interests throughout the entire process.

Our firm offers free, no-obligation case evaluations to prospective new clients interested in learning more about the benefits of retaining our services. To speak with our attorneys and staff about your case in more detail, we encourage you to contact our law office to schedule your free initial consultation today.

Get in touch with us by calling us at 214-238-9188.