Katy is a city just west of Houston, in Texas. The Katy Heritage Society Railroad Museum has train-related exhibits in a restored depot, with an old caboose railroad car outside. The Katy Heritage Museum features vintage farming equipment and antiques. Leafy Mary Jo Peckham Park is dominated by a fish-filled lake. Katy Park holds baseball fields and spacious picnic areas.

Renken Law Firm proudly serves the community of Katy and surrounding areas. Our family divorce attorneys are here to help you tackle the difficult issues that come with ending a marriage. We have years of experience providing legal advice to divorcing couples to help them with a wide range of family legal matters.

 

Here are five reasons to consider hiring a divorce lawyer rather than representing yourself in court.

1. You are unfamiliar with matrimonial law and/or family court

In court, self-represented litigants are not given any special treatment; judges hold them to the same standards as the lawyer for the other side. Most judges are fairly patient people, but if you don’t know the law – or what documents you need, or even what to do next – you may be pushing the judge’s patience past the breaking point. The more annoyed a judge is, the less sympathetic he/she is likely to be. Family lawyers are experts in knowing what to say to make their case seem more reasonable than yours. Lawyers who focus on areas outside family law hire a family lawyer when they’re getting a divorce; they recognize that they’ll be out of their depth when faced with a lawyer who practices family law exclusively. So it’s extremely unlikely that you’ll be able to adequately prepare to face the court process – and your spouse’s lawyer – by yourself. To make matters worse, you can jeopardize your entire case by saying or doing just one thing wrong.

2. You need objective advice at this emotional time

Divorce is an extremely emotional time for both spouses. You may experience feelings of sadness, betrayal, fear, depression, rage, confusion, and resignation – sometimes all on the same day! This level of heightened emotions, and the fact that you cannot possibly be objective about your case, will skew your judgement. Very few people have had the time or the willingness to work through their emotions about their soon-to-be ex-spouse during the divorce process, which will hinder their ability to work productively with the other side to resolve important matters. If you’re thinking of representing yourself, you need to be aware that your emotional state may prevent you from making wise decisions about the future. As an objective third party, a family lawyer can keep a clear, level head and separate themselves from the emotional side of the case in order to work towards the best resolution for everyone involved. Throughout the divorce process, a lawyer can remind you to keep your emotions in check – or even introduce you to other professionals who can help you channel your emotions into positive strategies. A good divorce lawyer can let you know when you’re being unreasonable or are asking for something that’s more-or-less impossible. When emotions are running high, it is easy to say or do things that may come off as aggressive or vindictive; a lawyer creates a buffer between you and the other side, and will do his/her best to prevent you from allowing your emotions to sabotage your case.

3. A divorce lawyer can suggest options you didn’t even know existed

A family lawyer can evaluate your situation and let you know the likely outcome if you take your case to court. Based on their experience with the judge and similar cases to yours, they’ll be able to offer a variety of legally-acceptable options to settle your case. If you and your spouse represent yourselves, you may agree on items that the judge will reject; when that happens, you’re causing more work and more delay for yourself, your spouse, the judge, and the court system. A lawyer will help you create a reasonable settlement proposal; if the proposal is coming from the other side, your lawyer will let you know whether to settle, make a counter-proposal, or fight it out in court.

4. One word: paperwork

Going through a divorce can feel like being buried alive under a mountain of paperwork to be filled out and filed with the court. Knowing which forms you’ll need for your unique situation can be challenging, and collecting all the information to complete them can be both difficult and tedious. However, producing complete paperwork is crucial: the judge will rely heavily on your documents to decide the outcome of your case. Using the wrong numbers on one form and the wrong tone or words on another could result in the judge perceiving you as careless or combative. If you omit something by mistake, the other side might accuse you of trying to hide information – which will damage your credibility and your case. A divorce lawyer knows how to fill out the paperwork properly and persuasively, increasing the chances that a judge will view your side of the argument favorably. Today, many cases are bogged down in the court system due to incomplete work presented by do-it-yourself divorces.

5. A divorce lawyer can help you focus on the “Big Picture”

While you may be solely focused on “winning” the case, a family lawyer will concentrate on creating the best deal possible – which may mean helping you to compromise on some issues so that you can get more of your “must haves.” In divorce, a good deal is one where both sides gave up some of what they had hoped to gain, but both can live with the settlement – literally. Family lawyers represent individuals with finite resources, not big corporations who have unlimited money to throw at a case, so they know cost is important. A good divorce lawyer will advise you not to waste your money by fighting over every issue, and they can help you set your priorities so you end up with more of what you actually need – even if you have to give up some of what you want to achieve it.

 

Best Divorce Attorney in Katy, TX

Our team proudly serves the Greater Houston area, including but not limited to Brazos County, Cypress, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Houston Heights, Houston, Humble, Katy, Kingwood, Memorial Houston, Montgomery County, Montrose, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, The Woodlands. All marriages are different, making each divorce equally unique with its own set of needs that must be addressed. Contact our law office to explore your options moving forward, and find out how we can help you.

 

Renken Law Firm, PLLC
11500 Northwest Fwy #586
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 956-6767
https://therenkenlawfirm.com
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Are you looking for an attorney for a family law matter? Our attorney have years of experience handling a wide range of issues. Whether you are seeking legal advice or representation for an individual case or situation, our team can help you. Learn more about how family lawyers can help you below.

What Does A Family Lawyer Do?

Some of the most emotional and complex matters that you can face involve your family relationships. These can evolve over time as spouses find that they have grown apart, or the needs of children change. Often, spouses or parents can reach an agreement on these issues outside court, or perhaps through a non-adversarial process such as mediation. If they cannot find common ground, however, the courts may need to get involved. Whether you are seeking to assert your rights or explore your options, it is important to understand the laws that govern these situations.

Divorce: To file for a divorce, a spouse usually needs to meet the residency requirements in the state and county where they live. They also need to establish the grounds for the divorce. Many states offer a no-fault divorce, which means that the grounds can be as simple as irreconcilable differences. This means that the marriage has broken down and cannot be repaired. If you live in a state that does not permit a no-fault divorce, you will need to prove the fault of your spouse for the divorce. Some common fault grounds for divorce include adultery, desertion, and cruelty. Even if you choose a no-fault divorce, some states will allow a family court judge to consider the fault of a spouse in matters related to the divorce, such as property division.

A divorce can be contested or uncontested. An uncontested divorce occurs when the spouses agree on all of the major issues of the divorce. They can submit their agreement to the judge, and it will become the final judgment in their divorce case if the judge approves it, which is likely. If the spouses disagree on one or more major issues, the divorce will be contested. This may require litigating those issues in court. Contested divorces tend to be much more protracted and more expensive than uncontested divorces, but sometimes they are unavoidable. Read more here about the divorce process.

Child Custody: If a couple has minor children, child custody is usually an important issue in their divorce. Custody traditionally has consisted of two components: physical custody and legal custody. Physical custody involves the amount of time that the child lives with each parent, while legal custody involves the authority of each parent to make major decisions affecting the child’s upbringing. These might include the medical care that the child receives, their choice of school and extracurricular activities, and which religion (if any) they practice. Judges usually prefer to award joint custody so that each parent continues to play a role in a child’s life, but sole custody may be appropriate in some situations, such as when a parent has engaged in domestic violence or substance abuse.

The central concern in a child custody matter is the best interests of the child. A judge has substantial discretion to weigh a broad range of factors. Sometimes a child’s needs will change over time, or the situation of a parent may change. For example, they may need to relocate if they change jobs or are assigned to a different region. A parent can go back to court to seek a modification of a child custody order based on a substantial change in circumstances. The judge again would focus on the best interests of the child in making the modification. Read more here about child custody.

Child Support: The general rule is that each parent has an obligation to support a child. This obligation usually extends until the child becomes an adult, but it can extend further in some cases if the child has special needs or has not graduated from high school. Usually, the parent who spends less time living with the child will pay child support to the parent who spends more time with the child. Most states have child support guidelines that provide formulas for typical situations, but a judge usually has the authority to deviate from these guidelines in unusual circumstances.

Similar to child custody, child support can be modified if a parent can show that a substantial change in circumstances has occurred. For example, support might be increased if a child develops a medical condition that requires expensive treatment. Or it might be decreased if the parent making payments loses their job. (However, income will be imputed to each parent in accordance with their earning capacity, so voluntary unemployment is not a way to avoid paying support.) Read more here about child support.

Spousal Support (Alimony): While spousal support is less common than it used to be, it still may be ordered in certain situations after a divorce. Spousal support often is appropriate if the spouses have dramatically different income potential, and the marriage was relatively long, such that the lower-earning spouse became reliant on the higher-earning spouse and accustomed to a higher standard of living. These payments are not meant to be punitive but simply to provide the lower-earning spouse with the support that they need. Alimony is generally not permanent unless the lower-earning spouse is elderly or disabled, such that they will never be able to support themselves.

Spousal support can be terminated when the recipient spouse remarries or cohabits with a partner, as defined under state law. It also can be terminated in many states if the recipient spouse becomes self-supporting or if the recipient spouse fails to make good-faith efforts to become self-supporting. The spouse making payments may be able to petition to reduce or terminate alimony if their financial situation declines to the point that they can no longer pay. Read more here about spousal support.

Property Division: The first step in property division consists of determining which assets are marital property and which assets are separate property. Only marital property is subject to division upon a divorce. It consists of most assets that were acquired during the marriage, except for gifts and inheritances that one spouse received. Determining the character of an asset can be complicated if marital property was commingled with separate property, or if the value of separate property increased during the marriage. If the couple ran a business or accumulated intangible assets, such as intellectual property, appraisers and accountants may be needed to estimate their value. Sometimes a pre-marital or post-marital agreement will control property division, as long as the agreement is valid.

Otherwise, the approach to dividing marital property will depend on the state. Some states use a community property approach, which requires an exact 50/50 split of the marital assets. Since an asset cannot always be evenly divided, this may involve selling an asset and splitting the proceeds between the spouses, or it may involve giving an asset to one spouse in its entirety while compensating the other spouse with an asset of equal value. Other states use an equitable distribution approach, which means that the division must be fair but not necessarily even. (In practice, this often results in an even division.) Read more here about property division.

When you are looking for the best family lawyer in Katy, TX, contact the team at Renken Law Firm. We can help you get the results you are looking for, while protecting you and your family.

 

Family Law Attorney in Katy, Texas

Our team proudly serves the Greater Houston area, including but not limited to Brazos County, Cypress, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Houston Heights, Houston, Humble, Katy, Kingwood, Memorial Houston, Montgomery County, Montrose, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, The Woodlands. All marriages are different, making each divorce equally unique with its own set of needs that must be addressed. Contact our law office to explore your options moving forward, and find out how we can help you.

 

Renken Law Firm, PLLC
11500 Northwest Fwy #586
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 956-6767
https://therenkenlawfirm.com
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What is an uncontested divorce?

An uncontested divorce means that both spouses agree on all of their divorce-related issues. Each state has specific legal requirements that spouses must meet before they can proceed with an uncontested divorce. You may want to consult with a local attorney or check your local courthouse website for specific requirements.

Even though you have to meet certain requirements, an uncontested divorce is often much easier than a contested divorce because spouses can end their marriage without constant negotiations, legal posturing, and court hearings. Thus, an uncontested divorce usually involves less stress and fewer legal fees. The uncontested divorce process also tends to preserve a relationship between the spouses, which is especially important if they have children.

However, divorcing spouses must be able to work together toward mutually agreeable resolutions in order to resolve all of their divorce issues. Although working with your soon-to-be-ex to settle important financial and child-related issues may seem difficult, it’s one way to end your marriage without a full-blown court battle.

 

Is mediation used in uncontested divorces?

If you and your divorcing spouse have chosen to file an uncontested divorce, it may be in your best interest to go through mediation. Mediation allows both parties to work through all aspects of their divorce together, around a neutral third party that acts as a mediator.

Your mediator will understand the divorce process and will be able to clearly provide you with the information you need to settle all important matters. It is better to address everything up front when getting a divorce, then having to backtrack once it is finalized to work out details you may have overlooked.

Once you have resolved all of your issues, your mediator will draft a divorce agreement for both parties to sign. The mediation process is private, affordable, and leaves all of the decision making up to the divorcing couple.

In order for divorce mediation to work, both parties must be willing to work together to reach an amicable solution. If your mediator senses that emotions are too high or one party is using bully tactics to get what they want, mediation may be ended.

 

Houston Divorce Specialists

Our team proudly serves the Greater Houston area, including but not limited to Brazos County, Cypress, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Houston Heights, Houston, Humble, Katy, Kingwood, Memorial Houston, Montgomery County, Montrose, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, The Woodlands. All marriages are different, making each divorce equally unique with its own set of needs that must be addressed. Contact our law office to explore your options moving forward, and find out how we can help you.

 

Renken Law Firm, PLLC
11500 Northwest Fwy #586
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 956-6767
https://therenkenlawfirm.com
Google Business Listing

Are you one of the thousands of Texans interested in pursuing a divorce with your spouse? Are you looking to work with a divorce attorney that has years of experience helping with complex divorce issues like legal separation, property division, spousal support, and child custody?

If so, Renken Law Firm can help you. Our team respects the attorney client relationship- we do everything in our power to advocate for your needs and protect you throughout your divorce process. We understand how emotionally and financially taxing divorces can be, this is why we work closely with our clients to help them navigate this difficult time.

We work hard to help you find solutions for your individual case or situation that keep your divorce civil and fair. Our Katy divorce attorneys want to help make the process go as smoothly as possible for you while also ensuring your needs are being met in the divorce. Make sure you are not settling in your divorce settlement, when you work with our experienced family law attorneys in Katy, TX.

 

Does Texas Recognize Legal Separation?

You cannot get a legal separation instead of a divorce in Texas. Texas law does not recognize legal separations. However, there are options that provide similar outcomes to what you might think of as a “legal separation.”

In Texas you can use temporary orders, protective orders, suits affecting the parent-child relationship, or separation agreements to obtain many of the same goals as someone might want in a so-called legal separation.

All of these options are similar to a legal separation because they are ways to provide visitation, financial support, and property orders without getting a divorce, or before the divorce is finalized.

 

What Do Temporary Orders Do?

Temporary orders can cover many things—including who gets possession of the children, who gets what property, or who has to pay what bills—while the divorce is still ongoing.

 

How Is A Protective Order Similar To “Legal Separation”?

A protective order, which is available to protect a victim of family violence, can be seen as similar to a legal separation because protective orders can dictate where children live and who has access to them. Protective orders can also determine who gets to stay in the house or who has to leave. They can also establish child and spousal support. Typically, protective orders expire after two years.

Since legal separation is not recognized in Texas, it is important to remember that a divorce cannot be finalized until 61 days to have passed from your initial petition. After the waiting period concludes, the court clerk will set a final hearing with the judge to finalize your divorce. This mean, if you want a divorce from your spouse, it is in your best interest to begin the process as soon as possible.

There are many complications that can occur during your case which may extend the length of time it takes to have your divorce legally recognized. This can include your spouse wanting to negotiate the terms of your settlement, record collection taking longer than anticipated in the discovery process, and more.

 

What Is The Discovery Process in Divorce?

Discovery is the pre-trial phase in a lawsuit during which each party can obtain evidence from the opposing party. The purpose of discovery is to ensure that both you and your spouse have access to the same information. This plays a vital role when determining how to divide property, debt, child custody, and other important marital factors. This process is intended to create the opportunity for shared information. This information is not intended to lead to legal consequences but to share relevant infomration.

Working with an experienced attorney, such as Dawn Renken, can help you get the best legal advice and results in your divorce. For almost two decades, Attorney Renken has focused her legal practice on family law. In this time, she has earned her place as one of the best divorce lawyers in Katy, by taking on a wide range of cases in which she helped families resolve legal issues quickly and fairly.

The goal is always to help families reach resolution so that they can continue focusing on the most important things in their lives. If you or someone you love is looking for the best divorce lawyer in Katy, contact the Renken Law Firm today.

Once we hear the specifics of your situation, we will be able to provide advice for any individual or unique situation you are in. This helps you to explore your options moving forward to ensure you are making the best choice for yourself. Attorney Renken represents those who are looking to dissolve contested, uncontested, and collaborative divorces. Each divorce in unique and deserves the same attention to detail as the next. At Renken Law Firm, we are devoted to helping your family move on peacefully.

Renken Law Firm is here to help couples who wish to dissolve their marriage, whether that be through divorce or legal separation. We are here to help those who are ending marriages that have been contested, uncontested, or collaborative. We are fully prepared to help you navigate the specifics of your case.

 

Divorce Attorney in Katy, Texas

Our team proudly serves the Greater Houston area, including but not limited to Brazos County, Cypress, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Houston Heights, Houston, Humble, Katy, Kingwood, Memorial Houston, Montgomery County, Montrose, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, The Woodlands. All marriages are different, making each divorce equally unique with its own set of needs that must be addressed. Contact our law office to explore your options moving forward, and find out how we can help you.

 

Renken Law Firm, PLLC
11500 Northwest Fwy #586
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 956-6767
https://therenkenlawfirm.com
Google Business Listing
https://therenkenlawfirm.com/cities-we-serve/katy-tx-divorce-attorney/

Divorce can be an emotionally difficult process that can often be made worse for families when they drag out the case in court. At Renken Law Firm, our Katy, TX  divorce mediation experts can help to ease some of the stress that comes with traditional divorce cases by helping couples find alternatives that are easier on them and their families. Our goal is to help divorcing couples work together to find solutions that are mutually beneficial for both parties in order to reach an amicable divorce agreement. By making the choice of divorce mediation you will be able to negotiate directly with your spouse about how to divide property, finances, responsibilities, and more. This can help accelerate your divorce process by cutting out the back and forth litigation that can sometimes last months in courtroom divorces. Additionally, this gives the divorcing couple more control over their divorce. With mediation, a divorce is not finalized until both parties sign off on it. 

 

Why Choose Divorce Mediation in Katy, TX Divorce Cases?

 -Most often, divorce mediation is considered a more affordable option for divorcing couples because they are able to work with one mediator instead of two attorneys.

 

-Mediation has a high success rate among couples that are able to work together to reach an agreement that fits the needs of both parties.

 

-Mediation is a private process that allows couples to work together with a mediator to decide the terms of their divorce. In courtroom divorces, everything that is said or entered as evidence will become public record. 

 

Is Divorce Mediation Right For Me?

You may be unsure if divorce mediation is right for your divorce case. If you believe you and your spouse are able to sit down and calmly talk through your shared property and responsibilities, divorce mediation is at least a good starting point. If you find the process is not working for you and your divorcing spouse, you can then move to litigation.

 

At Renken Law Firm we are committed to helping families work together to reach amicable solutions that fit the needs of everyone involved. When you work with our Katy divorce mediation experts, you are able to take control of the terms of your divorce instead of leaving it up to a judge, while also protecting the privacy of your family. Divorce mediation is often a faster method for divorce, however, in the state of Texas couples are still required to wait 61 days after filing their initial petition for the divorce to be finalized. If you are interested in learning more about the process for divorce mediation, reach out to Renken Law Firm in Katy, TX today!

 

In 2014, family law attorney, Dawn Renken, became a licensed mediator through ADR Services International Inc. Since this time, Attorney Renken has been working as a Katy divorce mediation expert with couples to help them work together to reach divorce agreements that are mutually beneficial for their long term needs. The role of the mediator is to simply ensure all important matters are discussed and dealt with, as well as ensure neither party is using bully tactics in order to get the other party to agree to the terms they desire for their divorce. Your divorce agreement is only finalized when both parties agree to the terms of the divorce and sign off on it. If you are unable to work together to reach an amicable divorce agreement, mediation will not be a viable method for divorce. If you and your spouse are actively looking to work through your divorce together, Renken Law Firm can help by offering affordable divorce mediation in Katy, TX. Fill out this form so we can contact you to learn more about how we can help your case. 

 

Divorce Attorney in Katy TX  

Renken Law Firm is here to help couples who wish to dissolve their marriage, whether that be through divorce or legal separation. We are here to help those who are ending marriages that have been contested, uncontested, or collaborative. We are fully prepared to help you navigate the specifics of your case. We proudly serve the Greater Houston area, including but not limited to Brazos County, Cypress, Fort Bend County, Galveston, Houston Heights, Houston, Humble, Katy, Kingwood, Memorial Houston, Montgomery County, Montrose, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, The Woodlands. All marriages are different, making each divorce equally unique with its own set of needs that must be addressed. Contact our law office to explore your options moving forward, and find out how we can help you.

 

 

Renken Law Firm, PLLC
11500 Northwest Fwy #618
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 956-6767
https://therenkenlawfirm.com
Google Business Listing
https://therenkenlawfirm.com/cities-we-serve/katy-tx-divorce-attorney/

Katy, TX is a heavily populated community located on the west side of Houston. This suburban city has attracted many families with their safe community and superior school system. As this area has increased in popularity, so has its need for reliable and affordable family law attorneys. At Renken Law Firm, we are here to assist in providing legal advice, support, and representation. Our team of legal professionals understand how delicate the situation can be when legal needs arise within a family. Not only can it be a source of stress but also emotionally difficult trying to navigate this type of case. Our team is here to help you to not react emotionally and to instead come up with logical solutions for your family’s legal issues that work for your long term needs. At Renken Law Firm we offer a wide range of family legal services that include but are not limited to divorce, custody agreements, spousal support, alimony, property division, and many more. If you are in Katy, TX and looking for the top divorce and family attorney, contact Renken Lawfirm today. We will do everything in our power to help your family reach an amicable agreement that works for your specific needs in any family law case.

 

Our team works closely with clients in order to help them reach thoughtful divorce agreements that help them maintain their lifestyle and protect themselves. We understand how hard divorces can be on families and want your agreement to provide long term solutions in order to avoid further litigation in the future. If you have a previous divorce agreement that no longer fits your needs or is not being followed by your ex-spouse, our team can help to revise these agreements to reflect your needs. Even in the most amicable of divorces, it will still be in your best interest to have an attorney go over your divorce agreement to ensure you are not missing out on any potential financial problems that may arise in the future. Our goal is to protect our clients rights and in cases with children, ensure we are doing everything in the best interest of the children. We believe in working hard for our clients to get them the best solutions in their divorce. If you are currently considering divorce, or have already filed contact our team today to learn more about our family legal services and how we can help you resolve your family legal matters.

 

Divorce Lawyer in Katy TX

Renken Law Firm is here to help couples who wish to dissolve their marriage, whether that be through divorce or legal separation. We are here to help those who are ending marriages that have been contested, uncontested, or collaborative. We are fully prepared to help you navigate the specifics of your case. All marriages are different, making each divorce equally unique with its own set of needs that must be addressed. Contact our law office to explore your options moving forward, and find out how we can help you.

 

Renken Law Firm, PLLC
11500 Northwest Fwy #618
Houston, TX 77092
(713) 956-6767
https://therenkenlawfirm.com
https://therenkenlawfirm.com/cities-we-serve/katy-tx-divorce-attorney/