Dallas Divorce Attorney

Father's Rights Movement

2008-04-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

Father's Rights Movement - Contains gryping about the Father's Rights Movement.

Divorce Proof Your Life

2008-01-24T17:58:00.000-08:00

Men and women view marriage very differently. To you, marriage means future, security, family, status, love, closeness and many other good things. To men, marriage means loss of freedom, responsibility, loss of choice, expense, stress, etc. When you look at it like that, it doesn't seem so appealing, does it?

Society puts a lot of pressure on women to be married. As you know, women often define themselves by their relationships. A good relationship means, "I'm a good person"; a bad relationship means, "I'm a bad person".

"What I tell women is this: don't focus on the goal of being married. There is nothing wrong with that goal particularly, but it isn't the most important thing. Instead, focus on the quality of the relationship." Full Article

Divorce Proof Your Marriage Before You Go to the Alter

2008-01-24T15:08:00.000-08:00

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This article provides ways to prevent divorce BEFORE the wedding day.

Attend pre-marital counseling: Pre-marital counseling will help to surface issues that may not be recognizable to lovebirds in love. With the help of an experienced counselor, you will be forced to face foibles in your partner or differences that may trigger divorce in the future.
Marry for the right reasons: This one seems like a no-brainer, but you should definitely make sure you are marrying for the right reasons. Don't marry for money, security, sex or because you desparately want children. Marry for the wrong reasons and you're bound to be heading for divorce court later.
Don't rush into marriage: If you rush into marriage, you may regret it later. While some shotgun weddings are successful, many more end-up on the cutting floor of life, with hearts broken and children torn apart. Take your time getting to know your partner before you get married.
Don't get married just because you're expecting: A baby is not a great reason to get married as a crying child does not make a bad relationship better. If you're expecting a baby and you love each other dearly, that's one thing. But a baby is not the best reason to get married and could lead to divorce.
Don't Get Married Just Because Your Clock is Ticking: This is a very strong driver for women who want to get married and have children. Marrying someone according to your biological clock is a sure sign for disaster. Some women will grab the guy nearest to them just to ensure they'll have kids. But, it's more wise to wait for the right one, then start a family.
Discuss Major Decisions (Like Religion) Before the Wedding: Determine your religion, what church you will attend and other serious matters before the wedding. There may be a deal breaker in the way that will surface. It's better to get things out in the open before the wedding day, than afterwards on the way to divorce court.
Keep your eyes open: Don't deny obvious red flags in your potential spouse thinking that "love conquers all." Love doesn't conquer anything after the butterflies wear off. Make sure you check under the hood to assure your loved one isn't a devil in disquise.
Be honest with your partner: If you have addictions or past situations that need to be dealt with, don't hide them from the one you're set to marry. Marriage is based upon trust, which is based on honesty. A marriage without honesty is doomed for disaster.
Be honest with yourself: If there are certain things that you expect from your potential spouse, make sure to get real before you marry. Glossing over your needs and wants in lieu of your beloved can lead to real problems later in the relationship.
Leave emotional baggage at the alter: Some people think marriage is where you resolve all your emotional baggage. Really, it's your responsibility to deal with your own emotional scars from childhood, etc... Your spouse is not responsible for hurts inflicted on you by others, so try to deal with it beforehand as much as possible.

Dallas Divorce Attorneys

Most Expensive Celebrity Divorces - Forbes.com

2008-01-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

#10 - Mick Jagger & Terry Hall ($15 to $25 million)
# 9 - Lionel & Diane Richie ($20 million)
# 8 - Michael & Diandra Douglas ($45 million)
# 7 - James Cameron & Linda Hamilton ($50 million)
# 6 - Paul McCartney & Heather Mills ($60 million)
# 5 - Kevin Costner & Cindy Silva ($80 million)
# 4 - Steven Spielberg & Amy Irving ($100 million)
# 2 - Neil Diamond & Marcia Murphey ($150 million)
# 1 - Michael & Juanita Jordan ($150 million)

* Estimated Settlements

US Divorce Resources

2008-01-23T15:43:00.000-08:00

The Effects of Divorce on America - The Heritage Foundation
Americans for Divorce Reform - Supporting cultural and legislative efforts to reduce divorce.

Divorce Statistics in America

2008-01-23T15:41:00.000-08:00

US Marriages in 2005: 2,230,000
US Marriages in 2004: 2,279,000 (despite 2.9 million population increase from 2004-2005)
US Divorces in 2005: 3.6 divorces per 1000 people (lowest rate since 1970)
US Divorces in 2000: 4.2
US Divorces in 1990: 4.7
US Divorces in 1981: 5.3 (Peak Divorce Rate according to AP)

Dallas Divorce

Austin Ventures joins forces with Divorce Website

2007-12-04T23:19:00.000-08:00

Austin Ventures has stepped into the social networking world with an investment in Divorce360.com, which bills itself as a guide to the emotional and financial travails of divorce.
Austin Ventures and private investors — including Cotter Cunningham, the CEO of Divorce360 — invested a combined $2.5 million in a first round of funding, Austin Ventures plans to announce today. (Austin Statesman)

Helping Children Cope with Divorce

2007-11-28T10:11:00.000-08:00

Children are the innocent victims in any divorce case, therefore it is important to remain civil during divorce proceedings to keep from harming the children. There are a few rules that you can implement between yourself and your divorcing spouse to keep the children as far from pain as possible.

Don't drag kids into the fight.

Don't talk about issues or fight in front of the children.

Don't talk to your children about your problems, they are not adults.

Take time to spend time with your children doing happy things.

Take time to talk to your child, encouraging open communication about feelings.

Allow children time to heal and grieve.

Don't pretend everything is hunky dorey either -- this can screw up their perception of reality.

Don't use your child as a pawn in your anger.

Don't talk bad or disrespect your spouse to your children for ANY REASON!!!

Allow your child to be angry, if he or she doesn't share his feelings now, it will come out later.

Plan your new life and roles in as much detail as possible, sit down with your child and take time to orient him or her to the new routine and situation.

Keep rules the same as they were. Use the "as if" rule, keeping rules the same "as if" you were still married. No special toys, gifts, leniency or favors.

If the children are distressed, parents should talk with them and normalize their upset, not let them get away with inappropriate behavior or compensate with inappropriate favors or gifts.

Don't try to make up for the divorce by bribing kids with "favors," nothing can make up for losing the marriage of your mom and dad.

Maintain loving discipline throughout the divorce process. Discipline is an important way to show love, even though it takes a lot out of you.

Don't play the victim in the presence of your children which will make them resent the other parent, whether you're respectful to the other parent or not.

If one parent is not taking his or her responsibilities seriously, don't throw in the towel on your parenting duties. One parent is better than none.

If your child tries to use this time as an opportunity to complain or manipulate you into granting leniency, stand your ground, even if the other parent caves in--be strong and don't let these tactics work.

Kids are notorious for pitting parents against one another, even in families where divorce is not an issue. Don't allow this to happen during the difficult period of divorce.

Do not give into your child protesting to get his or her own way. Children protesting do not make them right. As long as you remain firm, they learn that you cannot be swayed and they behave accordingly. Over time, they also learn to respect the parent that offers rules, routines, limits and expectations as this provides for a more stable and predictable environment that encourages healthy development.

Major changes in a child's life in terms of lifestyle and parental oversite can trigger a child's fight-or-flight response of anger and fear. A child cannot express these emotions and in turn may internalize the divorce and blame himself or herself.

The effects of divorce can last for a lifetime for your child. Make certain that you mitigate the damages by maintaining firm parental control and lots of love.

Separation and Moving Out

2007-11-28T09:53:00.000-08:00

According to Dallas Attorneys I've talked to, there is no such thing as "legal separation" in the state of Texas. This means that you're either divorced or separated in the eyes of the law in Dallas Fort Worth.

Even though the court doesn't recognize separation in Texas from a legal standpoint, it may still be time for you to separate from your spouse in effort to see if there is anything left of your marriage to salvage. If that is the case, then you should be very careful during this process. The things you do during the separation phase can effect what you are awarded (or not awarded) later on if the marriage ends up in divorce court.

Be Cautious. No matter how emotional and upset you are, do not make rash moves. Be careful, methodical and cautious.
Be Considerate. It's extremely important not to try to hog all the resources, no matter how much you know you're the one who deserves them. Later on, if the matter ends up in court and you have things at stake like assets and custody, it's crucial that you appear conscientious through and through. The judge will consider asset hogging in determining your fault in the matter. This may not be legal, but people are human and this can happen. Share and share alike, even if the bum or the witch :-) doesn't deserve it.
Document Everything. If you end up divorcing, you will be in a whole new world. The court will be getting all into your business like you wouldn't believe. You will be asked to provide all your bank statements and everything in your filing cabinet. Beyond that, you can provide documentation to prove your point later on. Document everything from early on and you'll thank me when this nightmare is over.
Get Counsel. It's a good idea to consult with an attorney early-on, even during the separation phase, even if you think there's no way you're divorcing. An attorney can advise you of what to do and not to do, such as removing your name from utilities, leases and other accounts as well as freezing your bank accounts to prevent money leakage. This may or may not be a good idea, depending

Separation is a horrible thing, but in many situations it's the only remedy to solve major marriage troubles, or to get out of an unhealthy marriage. I strongly advise that you contact an attorney to help you, such as Dallas Divorce Attorney, Len Conner of Cashman & Conner, LLP.

Dallas Real Estate Agents

2007-11-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

If you are a Dallas resident in the process of getting a divorce, or thinking about getting a divorce, please contact any of the following Dallas Real Estate Agents:

Dallas Real Estate - Keith Dobbs Team - Re/Max Dallas Suburbs
Dallas Real Estate Texas - Brenda Mancil - Re/Max Premier
McKinney Real Estate - Trey Teichelman specializes in homes, investments and foreclosures.
Dallas Luxury Homes & Park Cities Real Estate - Bernice Edelman with Keller Williams Elite in Park Cities offers homes in Highland Park, University Park and Preston Hollow.
Cedar Hill Homes & Real Estate - The Debose Team specializes in homes in Cedar Hill, Joe Pool Lake and Arlington, Texas. Also serving Dallas.
Celina Texas Real Estate - Goodell Realty specializes in Celina Texas, Anna, Allen, McKinney and all of Tarrant County

Non-Contested Divorce in Texas

2007-10-28T11:49:00.000-07:00

Certain states allow for divorces to be obtained through "no-fault," Texas is one of them. A no-fault divorce is a non-contested divorce that is agreed to by both parties. In order to be considered a non-contested divorce, everything about the split must be agreed to and both parties must be willing to sign the divorce papers stating there are no arguments.

Most non-contested divorces are sought by people with little to no assets, property or children. The typical divorcing couple will have need for complete divorce procedings.

You may or may not need a divorce attorney to handle your no fault divorce in Texas. In my experience, no fault divorces are relatively simple and require no ligitagation. You should be able to obtain a no fault divorce for less than $1000 if you hire an attorney. If you handle your own no fault divorce, you will only have to pay for the court filing fees.

As with any Texas Divorce proceeding, one of the parties must have been a resident of Texas for six consecutive months prior to finalizing a divorce and must have lived in Texas for 90 consecutive days prior to the initial filing of divorce papers.

Jenna Ryan is not an attorney. This article is written for informational purposes only. Please consult your attorney for sound legal advice about your divorce.

Dallas Divorce Attorney

Dallas Bagging Saggy Pants

2007-10-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

Dallas Banning Saggy Pants - Dallas News Article banning saggy pants. Isn't there something else they can worry about?

MULTI-STATE SOURCES

2007-02-01T03:57:00.000-08:00

ABA Section of Family Law: Offers tables summarizing divorce and custody law in the fifty states.

CompleteCase: Provides interactive forms for divorce in Texas and other states for a fee.

DivorceNet: Comprehensive website containing forms and a state-by-state resource center.

DivorceSource: Includes summaries of state divorce laws, case law, and articles, and sells books, forms, and other products and services.

FindLaw Divorce & Child Custody: WESTLAW's free Internet source includes links to states' family law statutes, topical articles on related issues, such as tax implications of divorce, types of custody agreements, etc.

Separate Property vs. Community Property

2007-01-29T08:17:00.000-08:00

Section 3 of the Family Law Code for the State of Texas tells us the designations of Marital Property.

Separate Property

(1) property owned or claimed by the spouse before marriage;

(2) property acquired by the spouse during marriage by gift, devise, or descent; and

(3) property recovered for personal injuries sustained by the spouse during marriage, with the exception of earning capacity during the marriage.

Community Property

Community property includes all the property not considered separate property. Community property is property acquired during marriage.

Dallas Court Info

2007-01-09T20:37:00.000-08:00

Divorce Action Plan

2006-12-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

Divorce Action Plan
by Laura Johnson

Before Filing for Divorce

This is the time when you and your spouse are discussing the possibility of divorce. You may be in marriage counseling or individual therapy to save your marriage. It's also the time to start your financial planning for a possible divorce.

• Gather historical financial documents such as tax returns, banking records, real estate purchase and sale documents and any other records pertaining to your assets. Use the information in Divorce Strategy to prepare your preliminary worksheets.

• Find a good divorce lawyer using the information in the Divorce Lawyer Questionnaire to help you in your search. Use your completed Personal Information Planner to more efficiently utilize your time when you interview a prospective lawyer to learn about your potential risks and results if the divorce truly occurs. Start your divorce financial planning.

• Avoid stressful situations and conflict as much as you can. Plan any pre-divorce discussions with your spouse so that they occur in a neutral location. Avoid involving your children, friends and relatives in your divorce.

• If you and your spouse can have reasonable, somewhat amicable discussions about settlement, begin pre-settlement negotiations. Start with a full disclosure of the information about your income, assets, liabilities and expenses.

• If divorce is imminent and you and your spouse can't communicate to work out your divorce settlement or if one of you is more in control and more powerful than the other, move on to the next step. Don't waste time and energy on trying to work out an agreement until you are both on a level playing field.

Divorce Filed and Pending

Once you or your spouse have made the decision to go ahead, certain events occur whether you want them to or not. It is an extremely stressful phase. Do things in small chunks. Avoid trying to do everything at once. Manage your time so that you have a set relaxation period every day. Pay more attention to your needs and to those of your children.

• If your spouse hasn't already done so, file for divorce. Your lawyer will file a petition, financial statements and other documents with the court. This begins the legal divorce process. Ask your lawyer to explain the progression of a divorce case through the court system where your case is filed.

• Take any mediated or negotiated settlement to your lawyer for review and comments. If you and your spouse do not have an agreement, work with your lawyer to come up with a proposal or encourage your spouse to submit a proposal to you and your lawyer. Don't turn control of your divorce over to the lawyers.

• Work on your divorce financial plan using the worksheets and ideas in Divorce Strategy. Research other sources for additional information. Organize your paperwork. Keep it up to date.

• Make your own decisions. Be reasonable and receptive to new ideas and constructive suggestions. Accept responsibility for the outcome of your divorce. Work toward a settlement of your divorce. If settlement of all issues is impossible, agree with your spouse on as many issues as possible. Reserve any remaining disputes for a trial.

• Make plans and set goals for your finances after the divorce. Be realistic. Review and revise your goals on a regular basis as your circumstances become clearer.

After the Divorce

Your legal divorce is over. Now the wrap-up of your financial and emotional divorce begins. Keep meticulous records of your financial separation. Plan for your future. If you have residual feelings of anger or bitterness, get counseling to work through your feelings. If not, you will always be held back by your past. Strive to keep your emotional divorce separated from your financial divorce. Don't confuse child custody and relationship issues with money issues. See the Divorce Recovery Journal for some great tips for help you through the healing process after divorce and to help you get on with life.

• Do what needs to be done to transfer ownership of assets. If you haven't already done so, close all the credit cards, charge accounts or bank accounts in joint names so your ex-spouse's name is removed from the accounts.

• Keep copies of any support checks you have paid or received. Keep an ongoing accounting and ledger of the payments. Make sure all the necessary documentation has been done if payments are going to be made by a wage assignment or through the courts. Keep the employer and/or the court clerks advised of any address change. Prepare and send bills to your ex-spouse if late payments or account balances are a problem.

• Prepare a financial plan for the next year. Set short, medium and long range goals. Make arrangements to pay any bills left over from the divorce or marriage. Start saving whatever you can, even if it's only a few dollars each month. True Prosperity has some terrific ideas to help you with your financial planning.

• Prepare a post-divorce timetable for future events, such as an anticipated change in an amount of child support due to a child graduating from high school or a date when you are to pay your ex-spouse a certain amount of money.

• Live a happy, fruitful and prosperous life after your divorce. It's the best revenge you can have against your ex-spouse.

© 1997 Broken Heart Publishing

Dallas Family Law

2006-09-05T16:55:00.000-07:00

At Cashman and Conner, we say that we are Dallas family attorneys. But the term causes some confusion. What does a Dallas family lawyer do?

It's not all just divorces and custody disputes, but if you need a Dallas divorce attorney, we can help you with that as well. The truth is Dallas family law includes a lot of different areas, such as:

Family-owned businesses
Adoption
Prenuptual agreements
Guardianship
Juvenile law proceedings
Domestic abuse cases
Paternity
Retirement benefits
Military issues, such as pensions

We also deal with the usual areas of Dallas family law such as divorces, alimony, custody, visitation agreements and marital property disputes.

Even if you don't plan on needing a divorce (though, really, who does?) it is handy to have a Dallas family lawyer who you can contact should the need arise. People often think that just because they are dealing with family members in issues such as dealing with a business or working through a will, they don't need a lawyer.

But family members do not always agree with each other. You're going to want someone involved who can step outside the family dynamic and help the family sort out the issues without tearing up the family. That is how a Dallas family lawyer can help you.

Whether you're facing a happy occasion like a marriage or retirement, or something more serious like divorce or abuse, having a Dallas family lawyer to help is essential. Make it easier on yourself and your family and contact us today.

Texas Divorce Law

2006-08-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

If you need to get a divorce in Texas, it can help a lot to be familiar with the requirements before you talk to a Dallas Divorce Attorney. This will make the process go a lot smoother.

So, what are the requirements for a Texas divorce? First, at least one member of the couple needs to have lived in the state for at least six months before the paperwork can be filed.

Think twice before you separate from your spouse if you're planning a divorce in Texas. There is no such thing as legal separation in Texas, so whatever living arrangements are going on during your separation are likely to be kept after the divorce. If you want custody of your kids, don't move out and leave them with your spouse before talking to a Dallas Divorce Attorney.

The beginning of the divorce happens when you or your Dallas Divorce Attorney files what's called an original petition for divorce. This document basically asks the court to grant a divorce and names all the people involved, including children.

If you can't come to an agreement on who should keep the children during the proceedings, its likely the court will issue temporary orders on you and your spouse that will detail things like child care, who is allowed access to bank accounts and more. As the name suggests, these orders are temporary and will only last until the divorce is final. They do carry the power of law, however, and you can be jailed for violating them.

If your divorce is contested (in which case you need to contact a Dallas Divorce Attorney right away) the next phase will be discovery. Like in any trial, this is a period of fact-finding. Questions may be asked of the other spouse, depositions may be taken and so on.

After all the facts are discovered, a mediator will attempt to settle your case before it goes to court. If you still can't reach an agreement, the divorce will go to trial and the court will decide the major issues of your case.

After the trial a final decree of divorce will be issued. This is the document that spells out custody and property settlements and makes your divorce final, though the settlement can be appealed if the situation changes or new evidence is brought to light.

If you're thinking about a Texas divorce and live in the Dallas area, contact a Dallas Divorce Attorney who can help you file paperwork and, if necessary, prepare for and go through trial.

What is an Uncontested Divorce?

2006-06-19T09:57:00.001-07:00

The most common type of divorce proceeding in the United States is known as an uncontested divorce. These divorces are relatively simple and inexpensive, but that doesn't mean they are a do-it-yourself divorce. Your Dallas divorce attorney can help you file all the legal forms and to be there in case things get ugly.

What is an uncontested divorce? Why would couples choose to go this route? Here are some advantages of uncontested divorces:

They are cheaper than contested divorces.
They tend to be more private, as only the end result is a matter of public record.
They are easier on everyone, especially children.
They are a good way to go if you and your spouse agree about the reasons your marriage is breaking up.

Who shouldn't get an uncontested divorce? In cases of spousal abuse or when there is so much anger that the couple cannot talk to each other, an uncontested divorce will not work. If you share property of assets in both of your names or need to work out a unique parenting situation, and uncontested divorce may not be possible.

It always makes sense to talk to an experienced Dallas divorce attorney before deciding how to file your divorce.

Why You Need a Dallas Divorce Attorney

Divorce courts typically divide assets 50-50 and give child custody about 50-50, unless there are special circumstances. If you want a different arrangement and can agree to it with your spouse, you can still get an uncontested divorce but it is critical to file the proper forms.

If you have children, shared property or other assets, even an uncontested divorce can get complicated. A good Dallas divorce lawyer is more interested in getting your case resolved quickly and easily than in dragging it out through the court system. If you visit with a lawyer and feel like he or she is pressuring you to contest the divorce, find another attorney. Also, make sure you consult with a local attorney who understands the way the law works in your state.

Having a Dallas divorce attorney on your side can make your divorce process a lot easier for everyone.