Our experience with adoptions is notably extensive. Whether you are looking to adopt a child or if you are a birth parent, we can help you with an adoption. We have handled a variety of adoptions, including out-of-state and international adoptions. The advantage of a private adoption (as opposed to an agency adoption) is you can avoid significant agency fees. We also have significant experience in adoption litigation. One of our lawyers has the distinction of being the first in Travis County to successfully terminate the parental rights of birth parents before a jury in a private adoption. We also have helped many step parents adopt their step-child.
Child Protective Services (CPS)
Cases If you are faced with the involvement of CPS in your family situation, our lawyers can help you. Our lawyers have been successful in obtaining the return of children removed by CPS in situations where CPS overstepped their bounds. We can also advise you on how to best survive the CPS process even when your children are not removed. Conversely, if you need CPS to be involved, we can advise you to ensure that every effort is made to protect a child.
Child Support
Whether you are seeking to obtain support for your children, you are looking to modify the amount of support, or you are defending a support claim, our attorneys' expertise in this area can help you get through this process in a cost-effective manner. We also have significant experience dealing with the Office of the Attorney General in these kinds of cases.
Custody
Our family lawyers are experts in custody litigation. Although we try to help our clients avoid an expensive battle, if the parties are unable to agree to custody arrangements and have to go to a judge or jury to make a custody decision, we have the experience and skill to obtain custody in court.
Divorce (Collaborative & Litigation)
Our lawyers' divorce clients have often expressed their appreciation for how we handle their divorce. This is because we view one of our primary roles as divorce lawyers is to help our clients get through this often painful process in a manner that keeps our clients spiritually and mentally healthy through this process. Our extensive experience will ensure that your every legal need is met, in addition to providing a calming experience. If you prefer a Collaborative Divorce, which is a non-litigation approach to divorce, we can help you with your Collaborative Divorce. We are members of Collaborative Law Institute of Texas. If you are considering divorce, you might also consider Divorce Alternatives (see below).
Divorce Alternatives
This innovation of having lawyers participate in preserving marriages rather than only dissolving marriages was created by one of our lawyers, and has been developed and improved with the participation of all of our family lawyers and others in the legal and spiritual community. Whether you are looking for separation or in-house arrangements, we have created some innovations that help to preserve marriages, or at least help to ensure that significant efforts are made to heal the relationship or address unhealthy behaviors before the marriage is dissolved by divorce. These efforts can be important to protect our clients and their children during the process in many ways, including physically, mentally, emotionally and financially. One of the innovations that we have created is the "Pre-Divorce" or "Anti-Divorce" petition that we have successfully used in numerous situations. If you would like more information, visit the Divorce Alternatives website at [website currently being revised].
Enforcement & Contempt
If your spouse or ex-spouse is violating a court order, whether it be child support, spousal support, custody arrangements, or other violation, our attorneys are experienced in obtaining enforcement, including by contempt. Ultimately, a person can be jailed or fined (or both) for violating an order. Although this is a remedy of last resort, many situations require such involvement. Conversely, if you are defending against a claim of enforcement or contempt, we can provide you the legal assistance you need.
Marital Property Agreements
Whether you are considering marriage or already married, pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements can be very helpful tools to protect separate property assets, protect community property from creditors of a spouse, or modify community and separate property rules to adjust to your specific needs. These agreements can also help avoid conflicts in case of death or divorce. We have the expertise and experience to draft these agreements in a manner that works well for our clients. These Property Agreements can also be used in Divorce Alternatives arrangements (see above), as well as in non-traditional relationships.
Modification
If your original decree needs modification, or you are defending a modification, we can help. Whether there needs to be a modification of child support, custody, or simply a change in the holiday possession schedule, our family lawyers are experts at serving your legal needs to modify the original decree or the last order in your case.
Paternity
If you have children born out of wedlock, there may need to be a paternity proceeding. There are formal and informal ways to ensure that child support and custody are addressed, and our lawyers have the experience to help in your situation. If you need a paternity test or a DNA test, we can guide you through the procedures necessary.
Miscellaneous Family Law Matters
Our Family Law section has lawyers with decades of experience, handling hundreds of family law matters. We have expertise in various areas covered by the Texas Family Code, including common law marriage, informal marriage, grandparent access and custody, military marital or paternity situations, adoptions involving a native American tribe, complex property division, domicile restrictions, to name a few. If you have the need for an attorney to handle your family law matter, our section is well-respected and experienced, and genuinely cares for our clients.
