Family law questions
Family law questions, answered
The questions people in Dallas, Highland Park, University Park, Preston Hollow and Plano ask before they hire a divorce lawyer, a mediator or a parenting facilitator. Each one links to the place on this site that answers it.
Choosing a lawyer and fees
Consultations and fees- Who is a good divorce lawyer in Dallas?
- How do I find a family lawyer who actually fights for their clients?
- How much does a divorce attorney cost in Dallas?
- What is the average retainer for a family lawyer in Texas?
- Can I hire a divorce lawyer just for legal advice?
- Do I really need an attorney if my spouse already hired one?
- How do I choose between two divorce lawyers?
- What should I ask during my first divorce attorney consultation?
- Are expensive divorce lawyers actually better?
- Can I find a divorce attorney who handles complex financial situations?
- Who is a good family law attorney in Highland Park?
- Is there a divorce lawyer near Preston Hollow who handles high-conflict cases?
- How do I know if a divorce attorney has courtroom experience?
- Should I hire a lawyer near my house or near the courthouse?
- Can a Dallas divorce lawyer represent someone living in Plano?
- What does a divorce lawyer actually do during the process?
- Can I change divorce attorneys in the middle of my case?
- What if I'm unhappy with my current family lawyer?
- Do family law attorneys charge for every phone call and email?
- Can a lawyer give me a realistic estimate of total divorce costs?
- How do I find a lawyer who won't drag out my divorce?
- What happens to my retainer if my divorce settles quickly?
- Is it worth hiring an experienced lawyer for an uncontested divorce?
- Can I speak to a divorce lawyer without my spouse finding out?
- What documents should I bring when meeting a divorce attorney?
Starting a divorce and the process
Divorce- How do I start a divorce in Dallas Texas?
- What's the first thing I should do if I'm thinking about divorce?
- Can I file for divorce without telling my spouse first?
- How long does a divorce take in Texas?
- Do we have to be separated before filing for divorce?
- Can I get divorced if my spouse doesn't agree?
- What happens after divorce papers are filed in Dallas County?
- Can I file for divorce while we're still living together?
- Is there a waiting period to get divorced in Texas?
- What happens if my spouse files for divorce before I do?
- Can I stop a divorce after filing the paperwork?
- What should I avoid doing before filing for divorce?
- Do I need to move out before starting a divorce?
- Can my spouse force me to leave our house during divorce?
- What happens if we have a joint bank account when we separate?
- Should I open my own bank account before filing for divorce?
- Can I get divorced if I don't know where my spouse lives?
- What if my spouse refuses to sign divorce papers?
- Can I get divorced in Texas if we got married in another state?
- Do I have to appear in court for a divorce in Dallas?
- How do temporary orders work during divorce?
- Can a judge decide who pays the bills while we're getting divorced?
- What happens to health insurance during a divorce?
- Is there a way to protect myself financially before filing?
- How do I prepare for a divorce without making things worse?
Contested and high-conflict divorce
Contested divorce- What if my spouse is making divorce as difficult as possible?
- How do I divorce someone who refuses to negotiate?
- Can my spouse delay our divorce forever?
- What happens when we can't agree on anything in a divorce?
- Do I need a trial lawyer for a contested divorce?
- How much more does a contested divorce cost in Dallas?
- Can I protect myself if my spouse is hiding financial information?
- What if my spouse is lying about me during divorce proceedings?
- How do I deal with a spouse who keeps threatening court?
- Can a judge order my spouse to provide financial records?
- What happens if my spouse doesn't follow temporary court orders?
- Can I request emergency orders during a divorce?
- What if my spouse starts spending our savings before the divorce?
- Can divorce attorneys subpoena bank records?
- Is going to trial better than accepting an unfair settlement?
- What happens during a divorce trial in Dallas County?
- How long can a high-conflict divorce take?
- Can I get divorced if my spouse is emotionally abusive?
- What if my spouse is trying to turn our children against me?
- Can text messages be used as evidence in a divorce?
- Will social media posts affect my divorce case?
- What happens if my spouse violates a court injunction?
- Can my spouse record our conversations and use them in court?
- How do I protect my privacy during a messy divorce?
- What kind of lawyer do I need for a really complicated divorce?
Uncontested divorce and separation
Uncontested divorce- How much does an uncontested divorce cost in Texas?
- Can we use one attorney if we agree on everything?
- What's the cheapest legal way to get divorced in Dallas?
- Can we get divorced without going to court?
- How long does an uncontested divorce usually take?
- Do I need a lawyer if we don't have children?
- Can we write our own divorce agreement?
- What if we agree on property but not child custody?
- Can a lawyer prepare all the paperwork for an amicable divorce?
- Is online divorce a good idea if we own a house?
- Can we settle everything before filing for divorce?
- Do we need separate lawyers for a friendly divorce?
- What is the difference between legal separation and divorce in Texas?
- Can we live separately without getting divorced?
- How do we split our bills if we're separated but still married?
- Can we make a written separation agreement in Texas?
- Is a trial separation legally recognized in Texas?
- Can I stay on my spouse's health insurance while separated?
- What happens to debt we accumulate while living apart?
- Can we agree on child custody without filing for divorce?
- What if we reconcile after starting the divorce process?
- Can we get divorced without blaming either spouse?
- How do we keep a divorce peaceful when we have young kids?
- Should we use mediation before hiring separate divorce lawyers?
- What's the simplest way to divorce after a long marriage?
Property division
Property division- How is property divided in a Texas divorce?
- Does everything get split 50/50 in Texas?
- What counts as separate property in a divorce?
- Can my spouse take money I earned before marriage?
- Is my inheritance protected if I get divorced?
- What happens to gifts from my parents during a divorce?
- Can I keep my savings if they were in my name only?
- Does it matter whose name is on the bank account?
- What if my spouse claims my separate property belongs to both of us?
- How do I prove that money belonged to me before marriage?
- Can a divorce lawyer help trace separate property?
- What happens if inherited money was mixed with joint savings?
- Are investment accounts considered marital property?
- What happens to stocks purchased during our marriage?
- Can my spouse claim part of my cryptocurrency?
- How do we divide expensive jewelry during divorce?
- Does my spouse have rights to a car that's only in my name?
- What happens to property owned through an LLC?
- Can a spouse hide assets in another person's name?
- How do I find out if my spouse has secret accounts?
- Are debts divided the same way as assets in Texas?
- What happens if one spouse spent a lot of money without permission?
- Can I recover money my spouse spent on an affair?
- What if my spouse transferred assets before filing for divorce?
- How can I protect my financial future during property division?
Homes, retirement and investments
Homes and retirement- Who handles high-net-worth divorces in Dallas?
- How do wealthy couples divide assets in Texas?
- Can I keep our house in Highland Park after divorce?
- What happens if both spouses want to keep the family home?
- Do we have to sell our house to finalize a divorce?
- How do we divide equity in a house with a mortgage?
- Can I buy out my spouse's share of our home?
- What happens to a house purchased before marriage but paid off together?
- How do we divide multiple rental properties in a divorce?
- Can a spouse claim appreciation on a separately owned home?
- Who pays property taxes while a divorce is pending?
- How do we divide a vacation property outside Texas?
- What happens to a second home purchased during marriage?
- Can my spouse claim part of my 401k in divorce?
- Do retirement accounts always have to be divided?
- How do we split a pension after 20 years of marriage?
- Will my spouse receive part of my stock options?
- How are RSUs divided when someone gets divorced?
- What happens to unvested company shares during divorce?
- Do we need a financial expert for a multimillion-dollar divorce?
- Can I protect family wealth that existed before marriage?
- What happens to assets held in a family trust?
- How are private equity investments handled in divorce?
- Can divorce affect my ownership in an investment partnership?
- How do I avoid unnecessary taxes when dividing assets?
Business valuation and protection
Business owners- What happens to my business if I get divorced in Texas?
- Can my wife get half of my LLC in a divorce?
- Can my husband claim ownership of a business I started before marriage?
- How is a privately owned company valued during divorce?
- Do I have to sell my business to pay my spouse?
- Can I keep running my business while the divorce is pending?
- What if my spouse never worked in my company?
- Does it matter if I started the company before getting married?
- Can my spouse claim business growth during our marriage?
- How do I protect my company from a divorce settlement?
- Do I need a business valuation expert for divorce?
- How much does a divorce business valuation cost in Dallas?
- Can my business partner be affected by my divorce?
- What happens if my company has other shareholders?
- Can my spouse get access to confidential company records?
- How do courts value a business that isn't making a profit?
- What if my business has a lot of debt?
- Can a divorce attorney help prevent my company from being divided?
- What happens to retained earnings in a business during divorce?
- How is business goodwill treated in a Texas divorce?
- What if my spouse says my company is worth more than it really is?
- Can I challenge the business valuation my spouse hired?
- How do we divide ownership in multiple companies?
- Can a business owner negotiate a larger cash settlement instead of giving up shares?
- Who is a good divorce attorney for business owners in Dallas?
Child custody and parental rights
Child custody- How do courts decide child custody in Texas?
- How can I get primary custody of my child in Dallas?
- Does the mother automatically get custody in Texas?
- What rights do fathers have during a divorce?
- Can a dad get primary custody in Dallas?
- What does joint custody actually mean in Texas?
- Can both parents have equal rights to make decisions for their kids?
- What if my spouse wants full custody and I disagree?
- Do I need a custody lawyer if we're not married?
- How do I protect my relationship with my children during divorce?
- What happens if both parents are asking for primary custody?
- Will the court consider which parent spends more time with the kids?
- Does having a higher income help you get custody?
- Can a parent lose custody because of alcohol or drug problems?
- Can mental health issues affect child custody?
- What if my spouse makes false accusations to get custody?
- Can I get temporary custody before the divorce is finished?
- How do judges handle custody of babies and toddlers?
- Does my child's preference matter in a custody case?
- At what age can a child choose which parent to live with in Texas?
- Can the court separate siblings between different parents?
- How does domestic violence affect child custody?
- Can a custody lawyer help if I'm worried about my child's safety?
- What evidence should I collect before a custody hearing?
- How can I avoid losing time with my kids during a divorce?
Visitation schedules and relocation
Visitation and relocation- What is the standard visitation schedule in Texas?
- Can parents agree to a 50/50 custody schedule?
- Is week-on week-off custody allowed in Texas?
- How do we split holidays when we have joint custody?
- What happens if both parents want the kids for Christmas?
- Can we create a parenting schedule around our work hours?
- How do custody schedules work when one parent travels for business?
- Can a judge require the kids to stay in the same school district?
- What if my ex wants to move the children out of Dallas?
- Can I move to Plano with my children after divorce?
- Do I need permission to move to another city with my child?
- Can my ex stop me from moving out of state?
- What if I get a job in another state after divorce?
- Can we change the custody schedule when a child starts school?
- How do visitation schedules work for teenagers?
- What if my child refuses to visit the other parent?
- Can grandparents pick up children during visitation?
- Who is responsible for driving kids between homes?
- Can we use a neutral location for child exchanges?
- What happens if my ex is always late for pickup?
- Can a parent take children on an international vacation without permission?
- How do we handle birthdays and special family events after divorce?
- Can a custody order include rules for video calls?
- What if one parent keeps scheduling activities during the other's visitation?
- How do I create a custody schedule that causes less conflict?
Custody modification and enforcement
Modification and enforcement- Can I change a custody order after divorce in Texas?
- What qualifies as a reason to modify child custody?
- How much does it cost to modify custody in Dallas?
- Do I need a lawyer to change our visitation schedule?
- What if my ex refuses to follow the custody agreement?
- Can I take my ex to court for denying visitation?
- How do I enforce a custody order in Texas?
- What happens if my ex keeps the children longer than allowed?
- Can a custody order be changed because of a new work schedule?
- What if my child is no longer safe at the other parent's home?
- Can I request an emergency custody modification?
- What if my ex moved without telling me?
- Can remarriage affect an existing custody arrangement?
- What happens if my ex moves in with a new partner?
- Can a judge change custody because one parent isn't involved?
- Do I need proof that circumstances have changed to modify custody?
- Can we modify custody without going to trial?
- Is mediation required before changing a custody order?
- What if the current parenting plan no longer works for our teenager?
- Can I request more parenting time if my work situation improves?
- Can a parent lose custody for repeatedly violating court orders?
- What if we have been following a different schedule than the court order?
- Can old custody orders be enforced after several years?
- How long does a child custody modification usually take?
- Who can help with a difficult custody modification in Dallas?
Child support
Child support- How is child support calculated in Texas?
- How much child support would I pay if I make $100,000 a year?
- Does Texas calculate child support using gross or net income?
- Can child support be higher than the standard guidelines?
- What if my ex makes significantly more money than I do?
- Do both parents pay child support with 50/50 custody?
- Can I get child support if we were never married?
- How do I get a child support order in Dallas?
- Does overtime income count toward child support?
- How is child support calculated for business owners?
- What if my ex is self-employed and hides income?
- Do bonuses and commissions count as income for child support?
- Can a parent avoid child support by quitting their job?
- Who pays for children's health insurance after divorce?
- Are daycare costs included in Texas child support?
- Does child support cover private school tuition?
- Can I ask for more support if my child has special medical needs?
- What if my ex refuses to pay child support?
- Can I collect unpaid child support from previous years?
- Can child support be reduced if I lose my job?
- How do I modify child support in Dallas County?
- Does child support automatically change when income increases?
- Can I stop paying child support when my child turns 18?
- What happens to child support if the paying parent moves away?
- Do I need a lawyer for a complicated child support dispute?
Spousal maintenance (alimony)
Spousal support- Can I get alimony in a Texas divorce?
- Does Texas have spousal support after divorce?
- How long do you have to be married to qualify for alimony?
- How much spousal maintenance can someone receive in Texas?
- Can I get alimony after being a stay-at-home parent?
- What happens if I haven't worked in 20 years?
- Can my spouse be required to support me after divorce?
- Do I qualify for alimony if I gave up my career for my family?
- Can a husband receive spousal maintenance from his wife?
- Can I avoid paying alimony if my spouse can work?
- How long can spousal maintenance last in Texas?
- Does adultery affect alimony in Texas?
- What happens to alimony if my ex gets remarried?
- Can spousal support be changed after the divorce?
- What if my ex stops paying court-ordered spousal maintenance?
- Can a court order temporary spousal support during divorce?
- Is temporary support different from post-divorce maintenance?
- What if my spouse controls all our money and won't help with bills?
- Can I get financial support while waiting for a divorce hearing?
- Does having a disability affect eligibility for spousal maintenance?
- Can we negotiate contractual alimony even if I don't qualify for court-ordered maintenance?
- What happens if my ex loses their job and can't pay maintenance?
- Can spousal maintenance be paid in one lump sum?
- How do I calculate what is fair for spousal support?
- Who can help negotiate alimony in a high-income divorce?
Divorce mediation
Mediation- Is divorce mediation cheaper than going to court?
- How does divorce mediation work in Dallas?
- Can we use a mediator instead of going through a divorce trial?
- How much does divorce mediation usually cost in Texas?
- Do both spouses have to agree to mediation?
- What happens during the first divorce mediation session?
- Can mediation help when we disagree about child custody?
- Do I need a lawyer with me during mediation?
- Can we do divorce mediation over Zoom?
- How long does a typical divorce mediation take?
- What if my spouse refuses to compromise during mediation?
- Can we reach a legally binding agreement through mediation?
- What happens if we agree on some issues but not everything?
- Is mediation a good idea for a high-conflict divorce?
- Can mediation help us divide a family business?
- Is divorce mediation private in Texas?
- Can a mediator make decisions for us if we can't agree?
- Should I hire a lawyer before attending divorce mediation?
- What documents should I bring to a mediation session?
- Can a mediation agreement be changed after it's signed?
- What happens if mediation fails and we still need court?
- Can we use mediation for child custody changes after divorce?
- Is mediation appropriate when one spouse is controlling or abusive?
- How do I choose an experienced family law mediator in Dallas?
- Can a mediator help us settle a divorce involving millions in assets?
Collaborative divorce
Collaborative law- What is collaborative divorce in Texas?
- Is collaborative divorce different from mediation?
- Can we get divorced without fighting in court?
- How much does collaborative divorce cost in Dallas?
- Do both spouses need collaborative divorce attorneys?
- Can collaborative divorce work when we have young children?
- Is collaborative law a good option for business owners?
- Will our financial information stay private in collaborative divorce?
- How long does a collaborative divorce usually take?
- What happens if one spouse refuses to cooperate?
- Can we switch from litigation to collaborative divorce?
- Is collaborative divorce appropriate for a high-net-worth couple?
- Can financial professionals help during collaborative divorce?
- Do we still need a judge to finalize a collaborative divorce?
- Can collaborative divorce help preserve a co-parenting relationship?
- What happens if we can't reach an agreement collaboratively?
- Is collaborative divorce legally binding in Texas?
- Can a collaborative divorce include child support and custody?
- What are the biggest disadvantages of collaborative divorce?
- Can we keep our divorce details out of public court hearings?
- Is collaborative divorce better for couples who own a company together?
- Can we negotiate complicated retirement assets collaboratively?
- How do I know if my spouse is genuinely willing to collaborate?
- What should I ask a collaborative divorce lawyer before hiring them?
- Who offers collaborative family law services in Dallas?
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
Prenups and postnups- Do I need a prenup before getting married in Texas?
- How much does a prenuptial agreement cost in Dallas?
- Can a prenup protect my business if I get divorced?
- Should I get a prenup if I already own a house?
- Can a prenuptial agreement protect family inheritance?
- Is a prenup worth it if I'm getting married for the second time?
- Can we write a prenup ourselves or do we need lawyers?
- How far before the wedding should we sign a prenup?
- Can a prenup be signed a week before the wedding?
- Can a prenup be challenged in a Texas divorce?
- What makes a prenuptial agreement unenforceable?
- Can I protect my retirement savings with a prenup?
- Can a prenup specify how debts will be divided?
- Should entrepreneurs have prenuptial agreements?
- Can a prenup protect stock options and future business income?
- What if my fiancé refuses to sign a prenup?
- Do both partners need separate attorneys for a prenup?
- Can a prenup include rules about spousal support?
- Can we change a prenup after getting married?
- What is a postnuptial agreement in Texas?
- Can I get a postnup if we're already having marriage problems?
- How much does a postnuptial agreement cost?
- Can a postnup protect a business I started during marriage?
- Can we use a postnup to clarify ownership of our property?
- Who can draft a prenuptial agreement for a wealthy couple in Dallas?
Paternity and fathers' rights
Paternity- How do I establish paternity in Texas?
- What rights do unmarried fathers have in Dallas?
- Can I get custody if my name isn't on the birth certificate?
- Does being on the birth certificate automatically give me custody rights?
- How do I prove I'm the biological father of a child?
- Can a court order a DNA test to establish paternity?
- What happens if the mother refuses a paternity test?
- Can I challenge paternity after signing the birth certificate?
- What if I find out I'm not the biological father?
- Can I stop paying child support if the child isn't mine?
- How can an unmarried father get visitation rights?
- Can a mother request child support before paternity is established?
- What if the father refuses to acknowledge the child?
- How long does a paternity case take in Texas?
- Do I need a lawyer for a contested paternity case?
- Can I establish paternity if the father lives in another state?
- What if a child was born while the mother was married to someone else?
- Can a father get joint custody after establishing paternity?
- Does paternity have to be established before a custody order?
- Can grandparents request a paternity test for a grandchild?
- Can a father request parental rights years after a child was born?
- How do I correct the wrong father's name on a birth certificate?
- Can a paternity case affect existing child support payments?
- What happens if multiple men claim to be the child's father?
- Who is a good paternity lawyer in Dallas for fathers' rights?
Grandparents' and relatives' rights
Grandparents' rights- Do grandparents have visitation rights in Texas?
- Can I get visitation with my grandchildren if their parents refuse?
- Can a grandparent file for custody in Dallas?
- What rights do grandparents have when parents get divorced?
- Can grandparents get custody if both parents are unfit?
- What if my daughter won't let me see my grandchildren?
- Can I request custody of a grandchild I've been raising?
- Do grandparents have rights after one parent dies?
- What happens if a parent cuts off all contact with grandparents?
- Can a grandmother get legal custody without adopting the child?
- What if I've been caring for my grandchild for several years?
- Can an aunt or uncle request custody in Texas?
- Do stepparents have visitation rights after divorce?
- Can a non-biological parent get custody of a child?
- What if I raised my partner's child but we were never married?
- Can a family friend get legal custody if the parents are absent?
- What evidence do grandparents need for a custody case?
- How difficult is it to get grandparent visitation in Texas?
- Can grandparents intervene in an existing custody case?
- What if the child is unsafe but the parents refuse help?
- Can I seek temporary custody of a grandchild in an emergency?
- Does living with grandparents affect custody decisions?
- Can a grandparent receive child support while raising a grandchild?
- What is the difference between guardianship and custody for a grandchild?
- Who handles grandparents' rights cases in Dallas County?
Interstate and international custody
Interstate and international- Can a Texas court change a custody order from another state?
- What if my custody order was issued in California but I live in Dallas now?
- How do I register an out-of-state custody order in Texas?
- Can I enforce a Florida custody order after moving to Plano?
- Which state handles custody if the parents live in different states?
- Can my ex file a custody case in another state?
- What happens if both parents file custody cases in different states?
- Do I need a Texas lawyer for an existing out-of-state custody order?
- Can I modify child support after moving from New York to Texas?
- How do I enforce an out-of-state child support order?
- What if the other parent moved to another state without permission?
- Can a parent move children across state lines during a custody dispute?
- What happens if my ex takes our child to another state and won't return?
- Can Texas courts enforce custody orders from another country?
- How do international custody disputes work in Texas?
- What if my spouse takes our child overseas during divorce?
- Can I stop my child from being taken out of the country?
- Do I need permission to travel internationally with my child after divorce?
- How do custody arrangements work when one parent lives abroad?
- Can a foreign divorce decree be recognized in Texas?
- What if my divorce was finalized overseas but I now live in Dallas?
- Can international relocation affect child support?
- Who decides jurisdiction when a child recently moved to Texas?
- What documents are needed to register a foreign custody order?
- Who is an experienced interstate custody attorney in Dallas?
Common law marriage
Common law marriage- Are we legally married if we've lived together for ten years in Texas?
- How does common law marriage work in Texas?
- Does living together automatically make us married?
- What proves a common law marriage in Texas?
- Can I claim common law marriage if we never had a wedding?
- Do we need to file anything to be considered common law married?
- What happens when a common law couple breaks up?
- Do I need a divorce if we were common law married?
- Can I get half of our property if we never legally married?
- What if my partner denies we were common law married?
- Can text messages prove common law marriage?
- Does filing taxes together prove we're married?
- Can my partner claim part of my business after we split?
- Does buying a house together create a common law marriage?
- Can we be common law married if we have children together?
- How do I prove a common law marriage after my partner dies?
- What if my partner says we're married but I never agreed?
- Is there a time limit for claiming common law marriage after separation?
- Can a common law spouse request spousal maintenance?
- Do common law spouses have the same property rights as married couples?
- What happens if one partner was already married to someone else?
- Can we end a common law marriage without going to court?
- How do I protect assets if my partner claims we're common law married?
- Can I challenge a false common law marriage claim?
- Who handles common law marriage disputes in Dallas?
Parenting facilitation
Parenting facilitation- What does a parenting facilitator do in Texas?
- How can I communicate with my ex without every conversation turning into a fight?
- Is a parenting coordinator different from a custody mediator?
- Can a parenting facilitator help us avoid going back to court?
- How much does parenting facilitation cost in Dallas?
- Can a parenting facilitator help when we disagree about school decisions?
- What if my ex and I argue about every medical decision for our child?
- Can a parenting facilitator help with constant visitation disagreements?
- How do I deal with a co-parent who refuses to respond to messages?
- Can we work with a parenting facilitator over Zoom?
- Do both parents need to agree to use a parenting facilitator?
- Can a parenting facilitator make recommendations to the court?
- Who helps high-conflict divorced parents communicate better in Dallas?
Wills and family estate planning
Wills and estate planning- Do I need a will if I have children in Texas?
- How much does it cost to have a simple will prepared in Dallas?
- Can a family law attorney prepare a will after divorce?
- Should I update my will after getting divorced?
- What happens if I die without a will in Texas?
- Can I name a guardian for my children in my will?
- Do I need a trust or is a simple will enough?
- How do I protect my children's inheritance after remarriage?
- Should I update my power of attorney after divorce?
- Can I remove my ex-spouse from my estate planning documents?
- What documents should I have besides a will in Texas?
- Who can help with wills and estate planning for a blended family in Dallas?
