Category: Texas Family Law

Family law lawyers can help you with a wide range of legal issues including divorce, custody, paperwork, asset division, and much more. When you are looking for legal advice working with an experience family law attorney can provide you with invaluable insight. Renken Law Firm proudly provides legal representation in Harris county and the Greater Houston area for a wide range of family law matters. We represent our clients to help them protect themselves and promote the best interests of any children involved in their legal matters. Contact our office today to learn more about how we can help you. 4 Good Reasons to Hire a Family Lawyer Legal Advocacy and Protection: A family lawyer is well aware of the family laws and the outcomes of similar past cases. Therefore, he can use his that knowledge and experience to get the best possible outcomes for you. He knows to present your case in the court so that the judge will see your side. Of course, you do not have any experience or legal knowledge to fall back on. Especially if the other party is represented by an attorney, it’s easier to take advantage of the lack of legal knowledge. A family attorney guides you about realistic and unrealistic threats, and how to protect your rights. Proper Filing of Paperwork: Numerous documents need to be filed and signed during a family law case such as divorce. If you do not have any law experience, you become overwhelmed while trying to make sure every document is submitted properly. The judge has the option to exclude any or all of the documents that are not drafted correctly. By hiring a family lawyer Toronto, you can rest assured that your paperwork is done properly, including drafting, filing, and submitting documents while meeting the time

Who can file a modification case? Either parent can file a modification case. If you are not the child’s parent, you can file a modification case if: You are listed as a party in the current order, You have had actual care, control and possession of the child for at least 6 months ending not more than 90 days before the date you file the modification case with the court and you are not a foster parent. You have lived with the child and the child’s parent, guardian or conservator for at least 6 months ending not more than 90 days before the date you file the modification case, and the child’s parent, guardian or conservator has died. You are the child’s grandparent, great-grandparent, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew and: Both parents are dead, Both parents, the surviving parent or managing conservator agree, The child’s present circumstances will significantly harm the child’s physical health or emotional development. Where do I file a modification case? You must file a modification case in the Texas county where the current order was made. If the child has lived in another Texas county for the last 6 months, you must still file the modification case in the county where the current order was made. However, you have the option of asking the court to transfer the case to the child’s new home county. You must file a Motion to Transfer at the same time you file your Petition to Modify the Parent-Child Relationship. Talk to a lawyer about whether this makes sense for your case. What is the legal standard to change child support or medical support? To change child support or medical support you must prove that: The circumstances of the child, a conservator or other person affected by the order

The Noncustodial Parent Pays Child Support In Texas, physical custody—the amount of time a parent spends with a child—determines who will make child support payments. Although a judge may order either or both parents to support a child, in most cases the “noncustodial parent” (the parent with the least amount of time with the child or children) pays child support. (This parent is also called the “obligor” in Texas child support laws.) Just because the noncustodial usually pay child support, that doesn’t mean the other parent is off the hook for the costs of raising a child. Instead, the law assumes that the custodial parent support the child by spending money directly on the daily cost of raising the child. How to Use the Texas Child Support Guidelines Under the “income percentage” method used in the Texas child support guidelines, the amount of child support is generally based on a percentage of the noncustodial parent’s net monthly income. For a simple estimate of child support in your case, you may use the online Monthly Child Support Calculator provided by the Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG). But the calculator is designed only for situations when the custodial parent has a single source of income. For all other situations, you’ll need to determine net monthly income and the guideline amount of support by following the steps explained below. Gross Income Included in Calculating Child Support For child support purposes, income includes: all wages and salary, including commissions, military pay, tips, overtime, and bonuses self-employment income interest and dividends net rental income from property the parent owns Even unemployed parents probably still have some income from sources such as: severance pay unemployment benefits retirement benefits veterans’ benefits disability benefits, or workers’ compensation awards. If it’s appropriate, a judge may also assign

In a perfect world, you and the other parent of your child will be able to work together to create a child custody agreement that promotes the best for your child and works for both adults as well. Unfortunately, there are many issues that can arise causing conflict when trying to reach an agreement about your child’s custody. At Renken Law Firm we understand how sensitive family legal matters involving children can be. Our team works with you every step of the way to help you reach a resolution that helps al parties involved. Listed below is some insight into when you may need to consider working with a lawyer for your custody dispute. When It’s Time to Hire a Lawyer for Your Custody Dispute You might want to talk to a family law lawyer for any number of reasons, but here are seven that often arise in child custody situations: The Other Parent Has a Lawyer When the other parent hires a lawyer and you don’t have one, the balance of power in negotiations shifts. Lawyers are skilled in state custody laws and can typically advocate for their clients far better than people without formal training can represent themselves. Lawyers also understand the court’s procedures and might be familiar with past orders the judge has made in similar cases. Many people choose to hire an attorney once they know that the other parent is represented. If you think you can’t afford an attorney to represent you throughout the entire custody process, consider consulting with one to get advice on how to best represent your interests. (You can also ask that attorney whether the other parent might have to contribute to your attorneys’ fees if you hire a lawyer.) Your Ex Has Moved (or Plans to Move) When your co-parent

When you need legal advice for a family matter, you will want to work with an experienced family law attorney. At Renken Law Firm we can help you find solutions for a wide range of legal matters to bring you peace of mind. Whether you are having difficulties with a family member, are fighting for fair child support, or a child custody plan that fits your family’s needs, our team is here for you. We represent our clients with their best interest in mind. Benefits of Hiring a Family Law Lawyer Knowledge of the Law Divorce law, child custody law, and other family law varies from state to state. An experienced family lawyer in your state will know the relevant statutes that govern your situation. Knowing the law is highly beneficial whether or not your case ends up in court. An experienced attorney can use their knowledge of the law to advocate for you in court and defend your rights. In addition, a knowledgeable attorney can help you reach a settlement or other out-of-court agreement. Many divorce cases never go to court. Instead, the parties to the divorce agree on terms through informal discussions or formal mediation. Knowing the law can help you negotiate a more favorable agreement with your spouse. Objectivity and Professionalism Family law issues are often deeply personal, and strong emotions can flare up during the case. A family law attorney has some distance from the underlying relationships in your situation. An attorney can often remain calm and logical when it may be difficult for you to do so. Family law attorneys also have experience communicating and negotiating over highly personal matters. A family lawyer will be able to avoid engaging with an argumentative spouse. Hiring a family lawyer can be beneficial if interactions with your spouse

When you are facing family legal issues, you will want to work with an experienced lawyer that is familiar with handling issues including child custody and visitation, divorce, child support, property division, and more. Attorney Dawn Renken has years of experience representing clients from all different backgrounds in order to help them find resolution with their family issues. If you are looking to find a family law attorney in the Houston area, reach out to our law firm today. When Should I Hire A Family Lawyer? Here are some instances where you should hire a family attorney: Family Issues This is a wide area with different categories that will need the expertise of an attorney to help resolve issues if the need arises. These categories can include the following: Divorce: This is the most common issue you would need a family lawyer for. After a disagreement leading to separation, the need for an attorney is a must to solve issues that come afterwards. These issues can include child custody, child support and visitation, and division of property. To ensure a divorce process goes smoothly, it’s imperative to hire a lawyer that’s well-versed in contested divorce matters. Their experience will be vitally important if the case cannot be settled prior to trial. Guardianship: A family attorney is needed in the event a parent or parents cannot offer their children with the adequate care. Here, a guardian can come in to help make adult decisions concerning the child. Domestic Abuse: When you feel you have been mistreated by your partner, you can have an attorney help you observe the precautions you need to follow to keep you and your children safe. Child Adoption: Adoption is a great act of humanity, but you need to do it legally. When deciding to adopt, you

Working with an experienced lawyer can help you through a wide range of family law issues. This includes everything from property division and real estate matters to drafting a parenting plan or coming up with custody and visitation schedules. Family law cases can be emotional and are resolved most easily when working with an attorney that has years of experience in this practice area. Our law group is here to provide the best legal representation for your needs throughout the Greater Houston area. You may be unsure of when hiring an attorney is necessary for your situation. Here are some instances where you should hire a family attorney: Family Issues: This is a wide area with different categories that will need the expertise of an attorney to help resolve issues if the need arises. These categories can include the following: Divorce: This is the most common issue you would need a family lawyer for. After a disagreement leading to separation, the need for an attorney is a must to solve issues that come afterwards. These issues can include child custody, child support and visitation, and division of property. To ensure a divorce process goes smoothly, it’s imperative to hire a lawyer that’s well-versed in contested divorce matters. Their experience will be vitally important if the case cannot be settled prior to trial. Guardianship: A family attorney is needed in the event a parent or parents cannot offer their children with the adequate care. Here, a guardian can come in to help make adult decisions concerning the child. Domestic Abuse: When you feel you have been mistreated by your partner, you can have an attorney help you observe the precautions you need to follow to keep you and your children safe. Child Adoption: Adoption is a great act of humanity, but

Our law firm works on a wide range of family law cases. We work with our clients to settle family law matters including child support, establishing paternity, financial support after divorce, domestic violence, and more. If you are looking to find a family law attorney with experience to provide legal advice, reach out to us today. Top 7 Signs You Need to Hire a Family Lawyer 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 married to each other. They are very similar to marriage but not branded or recognized as such. The legality and details of domestic partnerships vary from those of married couples and from state