Highland Village Family Law Attorney
Major changes in your family often come with substantial legal complexities. To ensure you establish and protect your rights as you prepare for these milestones, you need qualified and experienced guidance from a trustworthy Highland Village family law attorney. Youngberg Law Firm offers a range of services to aid you in achieving your desired outcome with a minimum of stress and worry.
Our firm manages all aspects of family law, with practice areas including adoption, property division, and child support modifications. When you work with our family law firm in Highland Village, TX, you can rely on our professional team to educate you on how the divorce, child custody, or marital agreement process works. Contact us to arrange a consultation and learn more about how we can help you.
Why You Should Choose the Family Law Attorneys From Youngberg Law Firm
Founded by family law attorney Michael Youngberg, our firm has managed every type of case related to child custody and support, divorce, and asset division. Regardless of how simple or complex your divorce is, we can help you reach a satisfactory solution so you can move forward to the next chapter of your life. Michael leads our team through his experience working in the child support division of the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Texas.
Our family law lawyers have training and a solid background in the application of state and federal laws governing traditional and common-law marriages. We also offer mediation services for divorcing couples to help them finalize their asset division and other concerns without requiring the time and expense of a divorce trial. For contentious divorce cases, we are able to keep the conversations calm and limit the impact of emotion during negotiations for a compromise that serves all parties.
We also assist couples develop parenting plans and custody arrangements, including those who need emergency protective orders in domestic violence situations. We always put the children’s interests first, as family court judges do. As our client, you can count on us to keep you informed and prepared for negotiations and court appearances so you feel confident proceeding with your case.
Our Primary Practice Areas in Highland Village, TX
At Youngberg Law Firm, family law is our only focus, helping couples and families tailor agreements that serve their unique needs. We help you untangle your commitments when divorce is on the horizon and guide you through adding new children to your family. Here is a quick overview of the types of our primary practice types:
Divorce
Divorce is one of the most impactful life events you can face. The emotional upheaval, coupled with the decisions around children and property division, can be exhausting and confusing. Whether your divorce is simple and amicable or complex and adversarial, you can rely on our team to help you reach the end as efficiently as possible. We explain the requirements for getting a divorce in Texas, which include the following:
- Residency: Texas requires you to live in the state for a minimum of six months before filing your divorce petition. You must also have been a resident of the county where you file for at least 90 days.
- Grounds: Nearly all divorces in Texas are considered no-fault, with the grounds of insupportability, and can be settled without a formal divorce trial. To claim grounds such as cruelty, adultery, or abandonment, you will need to supply evidence of these situations in court to a judge.
- Negotiation: In most divorce cases, both parties should have their own lawyers, who can help them negotiate details on dividing property and other issues. Even if you have an uncontested divorce, it is wise to engage an attorney to review your documents and ensure you are not being treated unfairly in the eyes of the law.
To complete your divorce, you must file a petition with your county or district clerk of court, pay the associated fees, and notify your spouse of your divorce petition. Usually, you will not have to appear in court until the final decree is issued 61 days after the initial filing. If your divorce becomes contentious, you will likely need to go to court to have your arguments heard and decided by the judge.
While it is possible to divorce successfully without an attorney, it may quickly become overwhelming. You might also make critical errors without legal counsel that end up costing you emotionally and financially. Instead, turn to our knowledgeable and experienced family law attorneys to handle the details so you can move on to the next chapter of your life.
Mediation
In Texas, many family court judges will order a divorcing couple to use mediation first to settle their differences before appearing in court. While mediation is not for everyone, it can be highly effective when couples do not have children and are on generally good terms. This process brings the parties and their lawyers together with a neutral mediator who listens to each side and helps the couple develop a satisfactory compromise.
The mediator is often a retired judge with family law experience. They will compile a Mediated Settlement Agreement, by which both parties agree to abide and submit it to the court. This allows the couple to avoid the time, stress, expense, and lack of privacy of a traditional divorce trial.
Mediation is not recommended for those suffering domestic abuse or who fear violent retaliation by their spouse. In these instances, the victim’s lawyer will meet with the other spouse’s lawyer and avoid subjecting the victim to any possible threats.
Child Custody or Conservatorship
Child custody is called conservatorship in Texas. Under Texas Family Code Chapter 153, both parents are considered joint managing conservators for their children unless there is a reason to amend that. If one parent presents evidence that the other is unfit, they can request sole conservatorship if they can demonstrate the other parent committed child or domestic abuse within the previous two years or is unable to provide a safe home.
Each family may have unique needs for balancing the time children spend with each parent. Your family law attorney will help you craft a parenting plan that is in line with what the judge requires, which is one that puts the best interests of the children above all else. The family court may accept your proposed parenting agreement, or it may alter it. By working with an accomplished lawyer, you can present a plan that demonstrates your commitment to putting the children’s needs first.
Child Support
Part of settling a divorce involving minor children is determining how to address child support payments. Typically, children will live with one parent as their primary residence. The non-custodial parent pays a monthly support amount based on a number of factors, including:
- Each child’s age and individual needs
- Each parent’s ability to contribute to the children’s support
- Each parent’s income, potential income if unemployed, and other resources
- How much time does each parent spend with the children
- Whether either party is paying or receiving child support from other relationships
- Each child’s healthcare, educational, and other expenses
- Each parent’s custody time spent with the children
Your lawyer can help you complete the Texas monthly child support calculator online to estimate payments. However, the court may elect to adjust the amount, depending on the circumstances of your case. Child support typically ends when the child turns 18 or completes college, and paying parents must petition the court to end a support order.
Modifications
If you have existing court orders for child conservatorship, child support, or spousal maintenance, you may find your situation has changed significantly enough that your order needs to be updated. Perhaps one parent or the other has a dramatic change in income or is moving to another state or country. In these instances, it is important to work with a family lawyer who can perform these modifications.
Common situations when you may need a modification include:
- A child has turned 18 or graduated college, ending your support obligations.
- The other party has remarried, ending spousal maintenance payments.
- One parent has experienced a gain or loss of resources that affects their ability to pay support or maintain their custodial home on their own.
It is crucial to understand that you must file appropriate petitions to amend your existing agreements, as they are legal documents. You put yourself at risk if you agree to change the terms of your custody or payment agreements without going through the proper legal channels. You could end up paying fines and suffering other penalties, which you can avoid with the help of a modifications lawyer.
Adoptions
When couples marry and bring children from previous relationships, they may wish to strengthen their family bonds through stepparent adoptions. Doing so cements the loving relationship between children and their new parent and ensures the children have beneficiary rights for inheriting property and other resources. However, the process can be complicated in some situations since Texas only recognizes two legal parents for a child.
In many instances, the other biological parent has passed away. When they are still living, they must relinquish their parental rights before the adoption can take place. Sometimes, the couple can convince the other parent to waive their rights, but when the other parent cannot be found or is deemed unfit, Texas law allows for involuntary termination.
The state does not take ending parental rights lightly, so it is extremely beneficial to work with a careful and qualified family law firm to ensure your stepparent adoption goes smoothly. We can help make a potentially difficult process less stressful for all parties, setting your family up for future happiness.
Additional Practice Areas at Youngberg Law Firm
Youngberg Law Firm proudly performs other services related to other family law matters, including the following:
- Protective orders: When you or your children are threatened by a domestic abuser, you can petition the court for temporary ex parte orders that provide immediate protection. If you are being stalked or harassed by someone, our attorneys can assist you with protective orders.
- Common law marriage: Couples who have committed themselves to one another but do not wish to have a traditional marriage can claim common law marriage instead. Doing so requires an understanding of the special requirements, especially if the couple chooses to end the relationship and divide their assets or establish child custody orders.
- Property division: Divorcing couples often fight about who gets what when the marriage ends. Texas is a community property state, and it is vital that you work with a lawyer to ensure you receive what you are owed.
What Is Most Important When Looking for a Family Law Attorney Near Me?
Searching for the right family law firm for your needs can seem overwhelming. You may start by searching online or by asking family and friends for advice. Regardless of which firm you choose, there are important criteria you should consider before hiring a family law attorney. These include:
- What experience do they have with your family law issue? – Family law is not like personal injury or defense law, and a law firm that says they do it all might not have the experience you need for a successful divorce, adoption, or other issue.
- Do they collaborate with experts? – Handling a divorce case often involves more than just applying the law. If your spouse is hiding assets, your attorney should have a strong network of financial and other experts who can identify potential problems and help you solve them.
- Do they have strong negotiation skills? – Even in the most amicable of divorces, you need a lawyer who is tenacious and clever when it comes to protecting your rights and assets. Negotiation is vital to drawing up agreements that are in your best interests.
- Do they make you feel comfortable and confident? – By far, the most crucial element is a lawyer’s ability to put you at ease and trust them, which is the best sign that you have found the right law firm for you.
At Youngberg Law Firm, we focus on providing reliable, trustworthy, and quality legal representation for every client. We recognize the tremendous emotional burden many family law issues bring, even happy ones like adoption. Our family law firm is here to help you finalize the legal complexities so you can get back to taking care of what matters most to you.
Arrange a Meeting Today With a Highland Village Family Law Attorney at the Youngberg Law Firm
Although you have your choice of family law firms in Highland Village, TX, and the surrounding area, we believe our team offers superior service based on compassion, integrity, and accuracy. We review all materials and documents to ensure they serve your needs and comply with federal and state laws. Ultimately, we want you to trust that your family law matter is settled with your future in mind.
At Youngberg Law Firm, your family law lawyer will tenaciously represent your side and provide honest advice. We work to limit the emotional distress that can come from uncomfortable or difficult conversations, and we collaborate with experts to find the best solution. Use our online form to contact us and schedule your case review today.