Resources · Family law guides
Texas family law, answered plainly
Clear answers to the questions Dallas spouses, parents and grandparents ask about divorce, children, property and Texas family law, written by John B. Polk.
DivorceBefore You File for Divorce in Texas: What to Do and AvoidWhat to do first when you are thinking about divorce in Texas: records, bank accounts, the house, and the mistakes that cost people later.
DivorceAgreed Divorce in Texas: DIY, Online or With a LawyerWriting your own agreement, online divorce with a house, divorce without children, partial agreements, and the simplest path after a long marriage.
DivorceHidden Assets, Drained Accounts and Temporary Orders in TexasYour spouse is hiding records or draining savings. Here is how Texas courts force disclosure, freeze spending and enforce temporary orders.
MediationCollaborative Divorce vs. Mediation in TexasCollaborative divorce and mediation both keep you out of court, but they work differently. Here is how to choose, and when neither fits.
MediationWhat Happens at a Divorce Mediation in DallasWhat the first divorce mediation session looks like, what documents to bring, how long it takes and whether you need a lawyer in the room.
Co-parentingParenting Facilitator vs. Parenting Coordinator in TexasBoth help high-conflict co-parents follow their order. One works in confidence, the other can report and testify. Here is how each works in Texas.
ChildrenHow Texas Courts Decide Child CustodyThe best-interest test, what joint custody really means, whether mothers are favored, when a child's preference counts, and how courts treat toddlers and siblings.
ChildrenThe Texas Standard Possession Order ExplainedWeekends, Thursdays, holidays and summer under the Texas standard and expanded possession orders, plus when parents can choose 50/50 or a custom schedule.
ChildrenHow to Modify a Custody Order in TexasThe three legal grounds for changing custody in Texas, what counts as a material change, and how work schedules, new partners and teenagers affect a request.