Houston couples planning to divorce quickly discover that the division of property and child custody is a complicated process. Divorcing couples who try to navigate these tricky issues without legal representation find the process takes longer and is more challenging.
If you’re seeking a divorce the best thing to do is to schedule an attorney consultation with a divorce lawyer in Houston, Texas.
One of the most contentious parts of the divorce process is the equitable distribution of marital property. In Texas, there is community property and separate property. Community property is anything that was bought during the marriage.
Property that qualifies as community property includes items such as:
In Texas, pensions and business assets are considered community property too. All community property must be divided between the divorcing couple.
Separate property is anything that the spouses owned before they were married or anything inherited or gifted to only one party. Spouses keep their separate property and it’s not subject to property division laws.
Many divorcing couples are rightfully concerned about fair property division. To ensure this happens, Texas law has put in place “just and right” property division. Often, people assume this means that everything will be divided equally. However, that’s not how property is divided.
The courts consider many factors when determining how property is divided. They consider the following:
Hiring a divorce lawyer in Texas never guarantees a precise outcome, but it does give you a better chance at getting a fair deal. Lawyers advocate for their clients and make sure their rights are protected during equitable property division negotiations.
Dissolving a marriage when children are involved is an even trickier situation. The children’s best interests should always be at the heart of any child custody case. Sometimes this isn’t easy to do when divorcing spouses are involved in combative divorce proceedings.
During a child custody case, terms one will hear include sole custody (or sole conservatorship) and joint custody (or joint conservatorship). Here’s a brief overview of what each of these terms means:
If you’re planning to file for a divorce, schedule an attorney consultation with a divorce lawyer in Houston, Texas, to make sure your property and parenting rights are protected.