Family law matters are serious and delicate. When a spouse makes the devastating decision to divorce their partner, they embark on a journey that can have emotional and mental repercussions for them and their loved ones. Deciding who gets what in a divorce and who is to blame for the divorce can be contentious.
When issues of child custody arise, the relationship between parents can turn hostile as each one fights for their belief that they’re the best custodian for their children. Child support can be a difficult issue to resolve, as both parents want to ensure that their child/ren are well taken care of while also ensuring that child support is fair and reasonable for the paying parent.
At Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P., we understand the complexity, difficulty, and delicate nature of this area of the law. We’re experienced and specifically equipped to help clients get through these difficult processes to arrive at an outcome that best serves them and their families. Our attorneys will be there with you and for you every step of the way in your family law proceedings. To schedule a meeting, call (210) 349-9933 today or contact us online.
Who We Are
The attorneys at Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P. have a combined three decades of experience in family law, from divorce and asset division to child custody and support matters. Every single one of our partners is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. This means we have shown that we have a superior grasp of the law in family law matters. We’re also committed to receiving continuing education in family law to make sure we stay on top of any changes in that law in order to best represent our clients.
The University City family law attorneys of Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P. have been recognized by associations and publications, such as Texas Super Lawyers Magazine and the San Antonio Bar Association, for our success and performance in family law.
Family Matters We Can Help You With
At Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P., we handle the gamut of family law issues that arise between divorcing spouses and/or parents. The types of family issues we’ve helped our clients resolve include:
- Divorce, including military divorces
- Division of property and assets
- Spousal support
- Child custody and child support
- Alternative Dispute Resolution, including mediation and arbitration
- Adoption
- Pre and post-nuptial agreements
If you are considering or have recently filed for divorce, are trying to resolve child custody or child support issues, or have any of the other issues listed above, you need an experienced attorney. An attorney from Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P. will empathize with what you’re going through and can do their best to help you reach your desired outcome during this trying time. The University City family law attorneys at Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P. are who you need by your side.
Divorce in Texas
In 2019, the divorce rate in Texas was at about 2.1 divorces per every thousand people living in Texas. During that time, the marriage rate also decreased. So if you’ve made the difficult decision to divorce your spouse, know that you are not alone. Divorce is difficult to come to terms with, no matter who or what caused it.
Every person who painstakingly decides to file for divorce does so for their own reasons. Maybe they’ve felt driven to it by the actions of their spouse, or maybe they just realized that they and their partner were no longer compatible and shouldn’t remain in the marriage.
In Texas, when you file for a divorce, you will declare your divorce under one of two categories: no-fault or at-fault. If your divorce is the former, you declare that neither you nor your spouse is to blame for the divorce. A common reason for no-fault divorces is irreconcilable differences. If a spouse believes their partner did something to cause the divorce, they will file an at-fault divorce. The spouse must declare that they are divorcing their spouse under one (or more) of six grounds for an at-fault divorce:
- Their spouse has committed adultery
- Their spouse has abused them
- Their spouse has abandoned them
- Their spouse has received a felony conviction and imprisonment for a year or more
- Their spouse has been committed to mental health treatment for three years or more
- They have been living apart from their spouse for three or more years
In Texas, divorce and the property and asset division issues that arise from it can be resolved through court proceedings or in alternative dispute resolution. Alternative dispute resolution is a means by which legal issues can be resolved outside of court. A neutral third party helps facilitate a resolution between the spouses or issues a decision on the legal issue. The Universal City divorce lawyers of Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P. can help you decide which venue would be best for you and advocate for your rights in the divorce.
Child Support and Child Custody
Issues relating to children are extremely delicate as there’s a desire to do what’s best for the child and also protect them from the inherently divisive nature of these decisions. Determinations about child support and child custody are always made with the best interests of the child or children as the foremost objective.
One parent (sole custody) or both parents (joint custody) may be granted legal or physical custody. Legal custody gives parents the right to make decisions about their child (medical, educational, religious, etc.), and physical custody is granted to the parent(s) with whom the child will live.
The amount of child support to be paid is determined based on a number of factors, including who is the custodial and non-custodial parent, the parties’ incomes, and the child or children’s needs. The custodial parent is the parent with whom the child primarily lives. Payment is typically made to the custodial parent by the non-custodial parent. The non-custodial parent’s income will be reviewed, and an objective calculation per Texas’s child support guidelines will be used to determine how much the child support payments will be.
The issues of child custody and child support can be resolved either in court or through mediation or arbitration. The Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P. Universal City family law attorneys are experienced in advocating for our clients’ parental rights in both venues.
Contact Higdon, Hardy & Zuflacht, L.L.P. Today
Whether you’ve decided to get married and need a prenup or you’ve decided to adopt a child, we can help. Maybe you’ve decided to divorce, and now you’re wondering what’s next. Or you’re worried about child custody and support issues.
Call us today at (210) 349-9933 or complete our online contact form to schedule a meeting. We will discuss your situation, and we will develop a legal strategy to best help you get the outcome you wish for.
Don’t go through this trying time alone. Call (210) 349-9933 now.