Category: Practice Areas

How Long Does Divorce Take After Mediation in Houston

How Long Does Divorce Take After Mediation in Houston

In Texas, there is a minimum 60 day waiting period after filing for a divorce before it can be finalized. This 60 day waiting period starts the day the original petition for divorce is filed with the court. This petition may be filed before mediation, during, or after. If you are looking for the fastest timeline for your divorce, it is possible to have your divorce finalized on the 61st day after filing with the courts. It is important to realize every divorce case and mediation process is different. While many couple may find they are able to work out all of the major factors of their divorce agreement in one mediation session, others may require more time. Additionally, mediation does not work for all couples making it difficult to predict exactly how long your divorce will take to go through. Will Divorce Mediation Work for Me? For some couples, working with your spouse and a mediator might be just what you need to obtain a divorce with as little conflict as possible. But, mediation will only work if you and your spouse are on the same page. You are more likely to have a successful mediation if all or most of the following statements are true. You and Your Spouse Agree to Divorce Despite what we see on television—or what we often hear from friends or family—not all divorces are contentious. In some cases, the decision to divorce is mutual. If you and your spouse agree that the marriage is over, you can file a petition for divorce together or, one spouse can file with the other’s knowledge. When you’re both on the same page, it’s often easier to negotiate and work together to find a resolution for any unresolved divorce issues in mediation. There’s No History of Domestic

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Family Law Attorney Near the Woodlands TX

Family Law Attorney Near the Woodlands TX

Family law attorneys handle important legal matters that affect families of all backgrounds. From adoption and custody to marriage and divorce, these professionals play an vital role in protecting your best interest at all stages of life. If you are looking for a family lawyer in The Woodlands, Renken Law Firm can help you. We have years of experience in helping clients through divorce and with other family law issues, including property division, child support, and more. Our divorce lawyers are experts, here to assist you through your Woodlands divorce case. When Should I Hire A Family Law Attorney? Preparing for Marriage Marriage seems like a straight-up ceremony celebrating matrimony, but it can be a complicated legal affair. Although it may seem odd, it makes sense to at least consult a family lawyer before proceeding to marriage. The lawyer will guide you through the legal requirements for marriage in your home state. A family law attorney will also assist you in navigating the issues related to marriage and advice you on your legal responsibilities and rights. A lawyer also comes in handy while preparing a prenup agreement before marriage. If your spouse and yourself are bringing into the marriage pre-owned assets, then it’s essential to draft a prenup agreement. The prenup decides how wealth will be divided in the unfortunate event of a divorce or death. A prenup is especially useful if there is a steep imbalance of wealth between the spouses and if there are also other dependents from previous marriages. A family lawyer helps you protect your assets and secure your future throughout the union. Forming a Civil Union or Domestic Partnership Civil unions and domestic partnerships are types of status awarded at the state level to legally recognize two people who are living together but are not

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Best Divorce Mediators Near Me

Best Divorce Mediators Near Me

Are you currently exploring your options for divorce? These days, more and more divorcing couples are looking to explore alternative methods to dissolve their marriage. Mediation has become an increasingly more popular options these days due to the cost efficiency, privacy, and ability to communicate directly while working through issues. At Renken Law Firm, we work with couples from all different backgrounds to reach amicable agreements in their divorce cases. Mediation provides a more private and affordable divorce alternative that can benefit you in many ways. If you are unsure if divorce mediation is right for you, read this blog post to gain insight into who divorce mediation is most successful for. What Is Divorce Mediation? In divorce mediation, you and your spouse meet with a trained, neutral mediator to discuss and resolve the issues in your divorce. Mediation sessions often take place in an informal office setting, but you might also be able to go through your mediation online. A mediator can help you reach agreement on the issues you and your spouse need to resolve in order to finalize your divorce, such as child custody, child support, and property division. Mediators don’t make decisions or offer legal advice, but rather serve as facilitators to help spouses figure out what’s best for their situation. When spouses reach agreement through mediation, most mediators will draft (and possibly file with the court) a divorce settlement agreement. Why Choose to Mediate Your Divorce? Although judges often order divorcing couples to participate in mediation before going to trial, you have the option of mediating on your own—either before you file for divorce or at any time after. Mediating your divorce has a lot of advantages over litigating it (fighting it out in court). Cost. Mediation is much less expensive than a trial. Settling

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Family Lawyer Near Me

Family Lawyer Near Me

Who Are Family Law Attorneys? Family law attorneys can be instrumental in handling important legal matters related to the heart and the home. From birth to marriage and beyond, these legal professionals play an important role in all stages of life. Family law attorneys handle more than three-quarters of a million divorces every year and facilitate more than 135,000 adoptions annually. They also spearhead significant cases related to emerging areas, such as assisted reproductive technology. Lawyers working in this area of practice usually deal with all forms of family-related issues that require legal mediation. These include: Divorce Custody Adoption Asset distribution Alimony Prenuptial agreements Postnuptial agreements Domestic violence While some legal issues can be handled without consulting an attorney, such as petitioning a court for a name change, others may require a high level of legal support. This is particularly true in child custody cases and contested divorces where the parties face substantial disagreements that are difficult to overcome. Individuals who need legal assistance or want an unbiased opinion from a skilled legal professional can use the information in this guide to find a qualified attorney in their area. Start your search, and look for an attorney with deep experience and a substantial case history in family law. Hiring a family law attorney is an important decision. To ensure the best outcome for your case, you want the most qualified attorney that you can find. Attorney websites can provide helpful information about the firm and its partners. Ideally, websites should demonstrate that family law is the attorney’s main practice area and that the individual has substantial experience in this discipline. Family law is a diverse specialization. Working with an attorney who handles divorce, adoption, or estate planning issues regularly gives you the best chance for success. Qualified family law attorneys

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How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation in Texas

How to Prepare for Divorce Mediation in Texas

Are you considering using divorce mediation? While many people find mediation to be a more affordable and convenient method for divorce, it is important to be prepared before you begin the process. Listed below are some helpful tips to prepare for divorce mediation. What to Bring to Mediation The good news about preparing for mediation is that an experienced mediator will likely give you a list of items (mostly documents) to bring to the first session, as well as a rundown of how the day will flow and what to expect. In fact, the mediator will probably ask you and your spouse to submit specific documents (often electronically) in advance of the mediation. Here’s a list of what most mediators will ask you to bring, along with some additional items that might make life easier for you on the day of the mediation. Directions. If your mediation session is going to be in person rather than online, ask the mediator about the best parking options and map out your route to the office so you can get there on time. Contact information. Whether with your phone or address book, bring contact information for key players in your life, such as close family members who might care for children, insurance brokers, bankers, financial planners, and other trusted advisers. Your calendar. Be ready to discuss your calendar in case you need to schedule mediation follow-up sessions or other appointments. Having a record of your future commitments is especially important when you’ll be discussing child custody matters. Court documents. If you don’t have it already, prepare a file for yourself of all the documents that have been filed with or required by the court. A list of assets, debts, and other marital property. A list of items such as vehicles, bank accounts, property,

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Family Divorce Attorney Near Me

Family Divorce Attorney Near Me

At the Renken Law Firm our team works with individuals and couples of all different backgrounds to dissolve their marriage. Each divorce process is unique and will require different efforts to successfully complete. We work with our clients to tackle the most complex parts pf divorce including creating a parenting plan for child custody and visitation, dividing assets and debts, spousal support, and more. We understand that divorce cases can be pretty overwhelming, this is why we work with you every step of the way offering legal advice for your specific situation. Main Divorce Options in Texas Collaborative Divorce Collaborative Divorce has become a popular dispute resolution option in Texas. In the Collaborative Divorce model, you, your spouse, and lawyers agree in advance that no one will take any contested issue to court. The “Collaborative Team,” which often includes mental-health and financial professionals, focuses all its attention on finding ways to restructure the family so that the needs of everyone involved are met to the greatest extent possible. The lawyers in this team are divorce lawyers and family law attorneys with special training experience in Collaborative Divorce. Collaborative Divorce starts with the idea that most people want to move through family law matters as quickly and efficiently as possible. Most people do not want to harm their spouse and children–they just want to change their situation from the way it is to something they believe will work better. Collaborative Divorce eliminates much of the strategic game playing that often accompanies litigation, as well as the hard feelings that are created when one person has to win and the other has to lose. In the unlikely event that clients are not able to settle all the issues in their case using the Collaborative Divorce model, a mediation can usually settle any

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How To Find A Mediator for Divorce

How To Find A Mediator for Divorce

Are you currently seeking a divorce but interested in exploring different methods to dissolve your marriage? Mediation is an increasingly more popular choice these days due to the cost efficiency, privacy, and ability to communicate directly. As we see an increase in divorce mediation, we also are experiencing a higher demand for divorce mediators. Attorney Dawn Renken is a practicing family law attorney in Texas, that specializes in divorce cases in Houston, TX. Attorney Renken received her mediation license through ADR Services International Inc. in 2014. Since this time, she has worked with a wide range of divorcing couples looking for alternatives to traditional courtroom divorces. Mediation offers the opportunity to divorce without public court appearances or back and forth litigation. Mediation is a private method of divorce that allows both parties to work together to reach an amicable solution as a neutral third-party mediator works to ensure both parties are fairly represented in the final agreement. 7 Questions to Ask Potential Mediators Now that you have an idea of what to look for in a divorce mediator, here are some questions you can ask to help you decide whom to hire. Some online mediation services will assign you a mediator—if you’re using such a service, you can still ask these questions. What sort of training do you have? Many mediation courses involve at least 40 hours of training. But you’ll want to know more than whether the mediator has met the technical requirements to become a mediator. For instance, if the mediator doesn’t have specialized divorce training, it’s best to look elsewhere. Are you required to be certified as a mediator by our state’s courts? If so, are you? Court certification isn’t always needed for someone to mediate divorce cases, but it’s an indicator of expertise in the field.

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Do I Need An Attorney For Property Division in Divorce

Do I Need An Attorney For Property Division in Divorce

TexasLawHelp.org outlines some basic property division guidelines as listed below: What property and debt is divided in a divorce? Community property and debt is divided in a divorce. Separate property and debt is not divided. At the end of your divorce case, a judge will divide your property and debt by signing a Final Decree of Divorce. The Final Decree of Divorce will: list the community property each spouse will keep or in some circumstances order community property (such as a house) sold and say how the proceeds should be split, list the separate property (if any) of each spouse, list the debts each spouse is ordered to pay, and order that the community property retirement benefits of each spouse are either: awarded (given) 100% to the spouse who earned the benefits or divided between the spouses. What is community property and debt? Community property includes all property you and your spouse have at the time of divorce except property that a spouse can prove (or the spouses agree) is the separate property of one spouse. Your community property may include real estate (a house or land), a business, cars, money, retirement accounts, furniture and other things earned or purchased by either spouse during your marriage. It doesn’t matter which spouse’s earnings were used to purchase the property or which spouse’s name is on the title. Community debt is debt you or your spouse got during the marriage. The law says that community property and debt should be divided when you get divorced in way that is “just and right.” This does not necessarily mean 50/50. What is separate property and debt? Separate property includes: property owned or claimed by one spouse before the marriage, property received as a gift or inheritance to one spouse during the marriage, money received

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Affordable Divorce Attorney Near Me

Affordable Divorce Attorney Near Me

Are you looking for an affordable divorce attorney in the Houston area? Attorney Dawn Renken can help you. She is a practicing family law attorney in Texas, that specializes in divorce cases in Houston, TX. Attorney Renken received her mediation license through ADR Services International Inc. in 2014. Since this time, attorney Renken has worked with a wide range of divorcing couples including same-sex couples, couples looking to avoid traditional courtroom divorces, and more. Same Sex Divorce Attorney Near Me While gay marriage is legal on a national level, not all family law and divorce attorneys are experienced in same-sex cases. At Renken Law Firm in Houston, we stand with the LGBTQ+ community. We understand the differences that may arise in your specific case and want to work with couples to help them reach divorce agreements that fit their unique needs. We ensure our clients needs are being met and they are treated with respect every step of the way. If you would like to learn more about the same-sex divorce services we offer or begin the process of divorce, contact our office today. Divorce Mediation Services Near Me Mediation offers the opportunity to divorce without public court appearances or back and forth litigation. Mediation is a private method of divorce that allows both parties to work together to reach an amicable solution as a neutral third-party mediator works to ensure both parties are fairly represented in the final agreement. Divorce agreements reached through mediation are not finalized until both parties formally accept the terms the mediator helps them come to. In the case that one or both parties do not agree to the terms of the divorce agreement, the mediation will end and the divorcing couple will need to pursue litigation. Can I Get a Legal Separation Instead of

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Affordable Houston Divorce Attorney Available

Affordable Houston Divorce Attorney Available

When you are looking for an affordable and experienced attorney in Houston, Texas to help you with your divorce case we are here for you. Renken Law Firm has the best divorce lawyers in Houston, offering legal advice and cheap divorce options for your family. We understand every divorce case is different and can help you with all related matters including child custody, child support, contested divorced, uncontested divorces in Houston, and divorce mediation services. When you are looking for a Texas divorce specialist to help you in your case, contact our team. We can help to explain the divorce cost and process so you can get started immediately. How Long Does It Take to Finalize a Divorce in Texas? In Texas, there is a minimum statutory waiting period of 60 days after the petition is filed before a divorce can be finalized. The divorce is final as soon as the judge pronounces it so in open court and signs the decree of divorce. If the spouses are not in agreement, it typically takes about six months to one year or longer to finalize a divorce, depending on the complexity of the issues and the degree of conflict. What Does “No-Fault” Divorce Mean? According to Nolo.com: “No fault” divorce describes any divorce where the spouse asking for a divorce does not have to prove that the other spouse did something wrong. All states allow no fault divorces. To get a no fault divorce, one spouse must simply state a reason for the divorce that is recognized by the state. In most states, it’s enough to declare that the couple cannot get along (this reason goes by such names as “incompatibility,” “irreconcilable differences,” or “irremediable breakdown of the marriage”). Is Divorce Mediation For Me? Divorce mediation is an affordable and private

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