Surrogacy can be a beautiful way to have a baby when circumstances prevent a couple or individual from conceiving a child on their own. However, laws regarding surrogacy do vary widely from state to state, so it’s important to understand the surrogacy laws in the state where you hope to have a child. If that...Read More
Can a sex offender be around family? That’s a question a father from Nebraska was asking a few years back, and he didn’t get the answer he wanted. This story first made headlines back in 2015, and it still makes me sick to my stomach today. When we first published this blog, we didn’t weigh...Read More
One of the most common questions I hear from clients as a family law attorney is: “At what age can a child refuse visitation?” My question to those parents is: “Who is driving the bus in your household, you or your child?” As long as you have custody orders in place, and the other parent...Read More
In the state of Texas, both parents are expected to help support their children. The amount and type of support vary depending on the circumstances and income of the parents and what Texas child support guidelines dictate. But what happens if you never filed for child support or a parent isn’t meeting his or her...Read More
Many parents fighting for custody of their kids underestimate the intricacies of child custody evaluations. Not only are they time-consuming and costly, there is a human component involved—the evaluator—which means custody evaluations are anything but routine. If you’re facing a child custody evaluation and are wondering what to expect during the process, or when necessary, how to...Read More
Many parents who share custody disagree about how visitation should be handled or think they have valid reasons to withhold visitation from the other parent. The truth is, withholding visitation from the non-custodial parent or custodial parent is generally frowned upon by the Texas family courts. In fact, a father or mother withholding visitation can...Read More
If you are getting divorced and will be sharing custody of a child, what can you expect regarding visitation and the possession schedule? Even if the other parent will have primary custody, you as the non-custodial parent should expect to have reasonable visitation rights and access to your child. Who determines what is reasonable and...Read More
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 2.4 million stepchildren under the age of 18 lived in the more than 73 million U.S. households with children in 2021. Those millions of stepchildren live with millions of stepparents and step-siblings, and those step-relationships can be challenging. Everyone—biological and stepparents—has an opinion about family dynamics and discipline...Read More
Coping with divorce is hard enough for kids without a parent’s new partner thrown in the mix. If your child complains constantly about her wicked stepmother, or you’re a dad whose kid can’t stand mom’s new boyfriend, it’s best to think before you react. Unless the children are in danger, teaching them how to cope...Read More
If you believe your child is in danger due to the actions or behavior of the other parent, you may want to prevent that parent from getting access to the child. In situations where a parent is abusive or using controlled substances, child custody lawyers can help you take steps to get an emergency custody...Read More