Blog

How many marriages end in divorce in the United States? The standard answer is 50 percent, although other studies report a decrease in the divorce rate — unless you are talking about second marriages, people over 50 and those living in southern states, including Texas. The most recent marital event statistics, collected in 2009 through… Read More »

In 1990, the divorce rate for people over 50 was only one in 10; by 2008, this rate had risen to one in four. Researchers attribute this increase in gray divorce to longer life spans, the fact that more women have their own financial resources and the value the baby boomer generation places on self-fulfillment…. Read More »

When married couples divorce, the court either approves their agreed upon property division settlement, or makes property division decisions on the couple’s behalf. Texas is an equitable distribution state, which means that courts divide marital property fairly, but not necessarily equally. When dividing property between spouses, the courts often consider the marriage duration and the… Read More »

For many parents, their worst nightmare is discovering that someone has kidnapped their child. We generally assume that a kidnapper is a stranger, but in fact, most of these cases involve a parent disappearing with a child during a custody dispute or after a divorce. Tracking down a missing child in the United States is… Read More »

Parenting a child is one of the most demanding tasks an adult takes on. However, parenting a child who has special needs because of a physical, emotional or cognitive condition is even more challenging. Along with professional help, special needs children often require accommodations at home and at school, and finding the most useful education… Read More »

Consuming alcohol or using drugs — even illegal drugs — is regular behavior for many Americans. When an addiction causes serious health problems or leads to domestic violence or criminal activity, there is little disagreement that a person has an abuse issue. However, most people who abuse alcohol or drugs appear to lead normal, functional… Read More »

The prevalence of domestic violence in this country is alarming. Three in ten women and one in four men have been a victim of intimate partner violence — including physical assaults, stalking and sexual violence — in their lifetime. In the majority of these cases, the abuser did not use a weapon. However, an abusive… Read More »

Divorce mediation provides a non-adversarial setting to resolve issues involving finances, property, division of assets, child custody and ongoing support. The mediator is a neutral third party trained to facilitate communication and help resolve disputes. Texas family court likes the mediation process because it frees up time and resources and generally moves cases forward more… Read More »

Some parents can support their children relatively easily after a divorce; some cannot. For those who cannot, a surprising role model comes to us in the form of Madonna Louise Ciccone, better known to the world as Madonna. According to The New York Times, Madonna and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie teamed up on a weekend… Read More »

Usually I meet clients when they have decided on divorce. Sometimes, though, I speak with spouses still fully engaged in their marriage who are concerned that a spouse could be cheating. How do you know? Potential signs your spouse could be having an affair include: Previously shared passwords being changed Increased need for privacy during… Read More »