Family Law

Divorce and (dissolution of a civil union) can be one of the most stressful legal events in a person’s life, and you deserve to have an experienced attorney by your side to help you cope and get the best outcome. Divorces can be contested or uncontested. In a contested divorce, the two parties disagree on important matters such as asset division, custody, child support, etc. and need a judge to make a decision. In an uncontested divorce, the two parties are in agreement about what should happen and just need to go through the legal process to end their marriage.

Mediation is a helpful choice for divorcing couples who have issues to resolve but would like to do so peacefully and with the help of a trained mediator. Texas Legal also covers mediation as part of a divorce settlement.

Alimony is payments provided to an ex-spouse generally for the ex-spouse to maintain a certain standard of living that was established during the marriage. The amount of alimony paid is based upon a number of factors including the length of marriage, income and other community property issues.

Texas Legal covers the establishment, modification or enforcement of a family law order, including those for custody, visitation and child support. These issues can be very contentious and complex, so an experienced attorney by your side can be very helpful. Like divorce, an issue that requires a family law order can be either contested or uncontested.

Adoption can be a wonderful way to grow your family and give a child a loving home. If you are seeking to adopt a child, your Texas Legal membership can help with any legal fees surrounding the adoption.

Adoption is generally categorized as either contested or uncontested. Adoption is a primary vehicle serving the needs of homeless, neglected, abused and runaway children. As a result of the adoption process you become responsible for the financial, emotional, and physical care of your children.

Pre- and postnuptial agreements are a good way for spouses to talk through financial and legal issues and decide what each person is responsible for and has rights to should their relationship change. These agreements are a great way for modern couples to put their financial health front and center in their relationship and talk through important issues.

Becoming the guardian of a minor child or an adult is a big decision and often surrounded by stressful circumstances. An attorney’s help can be very useful in figuring out when to proceed with guardianship and how to navigate the difficult and often lengthy process of doing so.

If you are seeking to change your legal name, your Texas Legal plan can help. As long as your name change is uncontested, all of our plans cover the issue of name change in full.

Victims of abuse, harassment, assault or stalking deserve protection from those who are seeking to harm them. A protective order can help protect a victim by putting in place a legal order that limits their contact with their abuser, stating that the abuser must stay away from them or any members of their household, must not contact them, enter their property or destroy their property. If the abuser violates the protective order, they can be arrested or held in contempt of court.

Grandparents are such important people in the lives of children. If you’re seeking help getting access to your grandchildren, your Texas Legal membership can help. Your Texas Legal membership covers consultations with an attorney where you can discuss the particulars of your case. Texas offers limited rights for grandparents, but Texas law does provide a legal right for grandparents to see their grandchildren in certain situations. If your situation applies, you can use your Texas Legal family law benefits to pursue custody, visitation, guardianship or adoption with your grandchildren.

With the rights of gay and lesbian couples to legally marry established so recently, the law surrounding LGBT family law can be complex and often changing. Texas Legal offers family law coverage for all families and has attorneys in our network who are both LGBT-friendly and experienced with LGBT issues. If you’re looking for an attorney to handle your LGBT family law case, when searching for an attorney in our attorney finder, click on “Advanced Search” and click the “LGBT Friendly” box to find a lawyer who can best serve your family.