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 remaining issues. In the few cases that are not able to be completed in the Collaborative Divorce, litigation attorneys can still take the case to court.

Mediation

Mediation is assisted settlement negotiation within the litigation process. A common misconception is that parties can mediate their issues prior to filing for divorce, as a stand alone alternative dispute resolution process; however, mediation is usually part of and within the litigation process, taking place after a suit for divorce is filed. Mediators do not take sides and their sole role is to help people reach a settlement. In most cases, the parties are required by the judge of their case to try to settle their case through mediation before they go to court for trial.

Some positives to mediation:

  • Mediators are neutral and can offer clients a different, unbiased perspective.
  • Having both clients, lawyers and a mediator in the same place at the same time with everyone’s attention focused on getting a settlement can often create a positive environment for making agreements.

Litigation

In litigation, decisions are made for the parties by a judge, or sometimes a jury. There are very strict rules about what information may be presented to the decision-maker, who may have never seen you before, will have a limited time to get to know your case, and who will probably never see you again.

Litigation does provide resolution for people who cannot find a way to settle their differences any other way. The court system is the only way to “force” a reluctant party to deal with family law issues. Litigation, though, is a process focused on the negative aspects of divorce and other family law matters. In comparison to other divorce options, it causes people to focus on how they are “right” and the other is “wrong,” when they really just have different ideas about how their lives should look after divorce. Litigation is expensive and destructive to relationships. Even though most cases settle before they ever go to trial, the process of preparing to go to trial, if necessary, causes relationship damage that is difficult – if not impossible – to repair. Costs of litigation can use up funds that could be put to better use, such as children’s college costs or the parties’ post-divorce financial autonomy.

Divorce Attorney in Houston, 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
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