North Texas Divorce Attorneys
Banner, Briley & White
At Banner, Briley & White, we believe that reasonableness and cooperation are often the best attributes anyone can bring to the table in a family law matter. When both parties are focused on solutions, divorcing couples are often able to avoid the high costs and emotional harm associated with litigation. They are generally much happier with the results as well.
The Divorce Process
The divorce process starts with filing a document called an "Original Petition for Divorce." The petition gets filed with the District Clerk, and the case is then assigned to a particular court. After the petition is processed, it must be served on the spouse who did not initiate the process.
At this stage, several issues may come up. For instance, a temporary order may be required to determine which spouse will live in the family home while the divorce is pending; which spouse will pay what bills; which one will take care of and support the children; or even regarding which will be responsible for paying attorneys' fees.
When a husband or wife does not like the result of a temporary order hearing — or in cases where custody is disputed or significant property is involved — one or the other will frequently request that their divorce be heard by a jury instead of a judge. When the jury fee is paid, our firm is frequently contacted for representation, as the divorce is at that point “contested” and in litigation.
Our firm limits its family law practice to matters contested in court, where our experience and proactive approach can really do the most good in terms of making the best out of an already bad situation.
Other Issues in Family Law Litigation
Although family law litigation primarily involves divorce, it can involve a variety of other family law matters, including:
- Legal separation
- Paternity
- Domestic partnerships
- Adoption
- Grandparent's rights
- Prenuptial agreements
- Postnuptial agreements
- Family law appeals and writs
Property Division
Texas is a community property state. In real terms, "community property" means that there's a presumption that every bit of property acquired during your marriage belongs to the both of you. By contrast, "separate property" is property brought into the marriage, acquired by gift by either the husband or wife, or inherited. Community property is usually divided equally among the husband and wife. Separate property stays with the person who acquired it.
Contact Information
You can make arrangements for a confidential consultation with one of our lawyers by calling our Wichita Falls, Texas, law offices directly at 940-692-5000. If you'd prefer to send us an e-mail, by all means do and someone from our office will get back to you soon.
