Divorce and other family law issues can be stressful. It helps to have a kind and understanding attorney on your side that will fiercely advocate for your rights.
The family law attorneys at McDonald Worley can help you through the divorce process, as well as with pre- and post-marital agreements, the divorce process including property, alimony and spousal support, and child custody and support issues.
We can also help families with the adoption process. Family law issues necessarily become a high priority in your and your family’s life, and our attorneys will take special care to give your case the care and attention you and your family deserve.
Below are family law issues that the McDonald Worley divorce lawyers in Houston can help you with.
THE DIVORCE PROCESS
No one plans on a divorce, but sometimes it is the best option for everyone involved. Although the divorce process can be stressful, even in cases of uncontested divorce, a knowledgeable and caring divorce attorney will go a long way in putting this chapter behind you.
It is also important to consider experienced divorce lawyers in Houston, who can help you navigate the complex family laws in Texas.
There are seven grounds for divorce in Texas:
- The marriage has become insupportable due to discord or conflict of personalities preventing reconciliation and destroying the legitimate ends of the relationship
- Cruelty on the part of a spouse making living together impossible
- Adultery
- A felony committed by a spouse who has been in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, a federal penitentiary, or the penitentiary of another state
- Abandonment for over a year
- Non-cohabitation for over three years
- Current confinement in a state mental hospital or private mental hospital for over three years and the mental disorder is severe or a relapse is probable
Those considering a divorce should consult an experienced divorce attorney to initiate the process to help them consider the following issues: child support and custody, property division, spousal support, and alimony.
Divorce is not only an ending but also a new beginning. Knowing your divorce rights will help you get your best chance at a fresh start in a timely manner.
DIVORCE RIGHTS
Those considering divorce in Texas should know that they are entitled to rights and also have responsibilities in the divorce process. These include:
- Residency requirements
- Notice requirements
- Time bars on marriage to others during the process
- The right for a spouse to change their name
The experienced divorce attorneys at McDonald Worley will vigorously defend your rights during divorce proceedings. They will also help ensure that all of your obligations are met and the process moves as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
FAMILY LAW
In addition to assistance with divorce proceedings, the divorce lawyers at McDonald Worley can help with a number of other family law issues you might face.
PRE AND POST-MARITAL AGREEMENTS
While no one goes into a marriage thinking a divorce will happen, it is important to consider legal protection for yourself and your future spouse. This is especially true for business owners and those who bring substantial assets into a marriage.
Alternatively, if your future or current spouse asks you to sign a marital agreement or pre-nuptial agreement, it is important to get a family law attorney with your interests in mind to look over the agreement before you sign.
PROPERTY DIVISION IN A DIVORCE
Property in divorce can be one of the most stressful issues, apart from child custody. The division of property can be quite complex, depending on whether any pre or post-marital agreements are in place and the presence of inheritances or large gifts to one spouse or the other.
An experienced divorce lawyer can help protect your rights to property in a divorce, in addition to ensuring an efficient division process.
SPOUSAL SUPPORT OR ALIMONY
Related to the division of property, the question of spousal support weighs heavily in a divorce and your financial future. Texas is a communal property state, meaning that spousal support or spousal maintenance is what is awarded in divorce proceedings.
Generally, alimony payments are limited in duration. However, the state legislature changes the rules on occasion, so it is important to find a knowledgeable advocate who will work hard to protect your rights.
CHILD CUSTODY AND SUPPORT
Child custody and support in divorce proceedings can be an emotionally trying experience. As with divorce proceeding and other family law issues, finding experienced divorce lawyers in Houston can help you navigate complex state laws.
In Texas, the best interests of the child or children will be used by the court to determine custody issues. The experienced attorneys at McDonald Worley will work hard to get the whole story and advocate for you and your family. They can also help the process move as quickly and efficiently as possible and nip extraneous legal action in the bud.
Child Support is determined using the “Varying Percentage of Income Model” in Texas. The determination is based on the net income of the spouse obligated to pay child support under the law.
McDonald Worley divorce lawyers will ensure you and your former spouse’s incomes are correctly calculated and advocate for your rights when it comes to child support payments.
McDonald Worley can also help you with annulments, voids, as well as adoptions.