The question often comes up, “When should I file my case so that my kids can start school in their new school?” Or, “If I start my Divorce now, will it be done by the end of this school year?” The question is really, “How do I know when to file my case in order for it to be over by the time I want it over with?” In a sense, that’s a really easy question, but the answer is not very satisfying. You don’t. And more importantly, you can’t. I’ve been a lawyer now for over 31 years

I got a call a couple of days ago. It was from an old client. I represented him years ago, and I’ve only talked to him a few times since. It’s always great to hear from him because it causes me to have some great memories. The memories are caused by the fact that I had one of the most complete victories I’ve ever had in his case. In Family Law – Divorce and Custody work – it’s often hard to have a clear winner and loser. In his case, though, we did. It’s hard for me to be obj

I know what it’s like to be a client. And I know what it’s like to be a lawyer. One of the things that I think has helped me throughout my practice is that I have been on all sides of everything. For example, I’ve been a witness, I’ve defended witnesses, I’ve questioned witnesses, and I’ve even gotten to watch witnesses be questioned while sitting at the Bench. I have represented and helped represent thousands of clients, and I have been a client on more than one occasion. I

I love the 4th of July! I love remembering all of the things that America stands for and all of the great people that helped found it and keep it. One of the greatest things about this Country is that we get to vote. In Texas, that includes voting for our Judges. All of our Judges from Justice of the Peace through Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court are in elected positions. Now, that does not mean that at any given time, all Judges in Texas are elected. If a judicial be

When I was in the Marine Corps several years ago, one of the things they taught us was Land Navigation. After I mastered the skill, I was proud of the fact that you could drop me off in the middle of the desert with just a compass and a map, and I could determine exactly where I was. The trick is to be able to read the map. After that, it's easy. You point your compass at a couple of topographical features that you recognize from the map, see where the lines cross, and that's

NOTE: As of June 26, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court has come out with a decision that causes a major change to the information given in this article. Please see below. Everyone has health concerns. At least most people do. Some have them all the time, and some only when something serious is "going around." Sometimes people have them because of an illness they are suffering, or some dangerous event is on the horizon. Any caring parent wants to make sure that their child is care

No-Fault Divorce is often misunderstood. Many people think that since Texas has a no-fault statute, there is no issue of Fault in any divorce proceedings. Some people think that no-fault Divorce means that it is instantaneous, or they equate no-fault with “simple.” Here are five essential things to know about Texas No-Fault Divorce: 1. Fault can still be involved. Section 6.001 of the Texas Family Code states that “the court may grant a divorce without regard to fault if the

Wow, that hurts! That’s what I thought every time. But then I would suffer through it. I had an old pair of glasses that I kept in my truck for emergencies since I am supposed to wear glasses when I drive. At some point in the past, I broke one of those pieces off that lets the glasses rest comfortably on the top of your nose. I have no idea what the piece is called, but when it’s not there, what you have left is a sharp piece of metal or plastic or something that hurts to a

“When do I have to tell my spouse that I’ve filed?” The easy answer is this: Never. If you decide to never go through with the case, you

If you're in Texas, terrible things can happen to you, because THC Edibles are illegal in Texas. Possessing them is a crime.

Getting divorced is not fun. Getting surprised by a divorce is worse. [Warning: This information is hard to hear. But for those that need...

Okay. I’m a guy, so I hate talking on the phone. I don’t really mean phone. I mean text, phone, communicate through social media, something. There are few things worse than living through the first holiday without your children – especially young children. And if you have a friend that has just started going through a divorce – or even has gone through one since last Christmas – there is a chance that today is the first major holiday that he or she does not have his or her ch

Have you ever felt trapped? In our line of work, we deal with people that feel trapped in a marriage or trapped in a bad situation with their custody arrangement, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about feeling trapped because you hired an attorney that you wish you hadn’t. It’s important to understand that when you hire an attorney or law firm, whether it’s our firm or another one, you are allowed to change your mind. Here are some things to know. Most of th

Frisco Square houses entertainment, restaurants, and shops for residents of Collin and Denton counties, and now, Beal Law Firm joins the community. Frisco was recognized as the fastest-growing city in the nation last year. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 37 new residents a day are making Frisco their home. Having a well-established law firm that practices exclusively family law will be a significant addition to the area. Having an attorney by your side with a heart for

Have you ever met anyone that never got a speeding ticket? You have now. I know it’s weird, but one of the things that I’m most proud of in life is that I’ve never gotten a speeding ticket. I have gotten two tickets, though. One was for “bump” stopping a stop sign in college at 2:00 a.m. – luckily, I was one of those kids that didn’t drink. And once for bumping the car in front of me at a stoplight. That one happened while I was in the middle of a very ugly divorce. That was

Child Support law in Texas just changed, as of September 1, 2019. Whether the law hurts you or helps you depends upon which side of the fence you’re on. If you’re getting child support, it never seems to be enough. If you’re paying, it always seems like too much. As of September 1, 2019, the Presumptive Maximum Child Support in Texas went up. What does Presumptive Maximum mean? It’s the amount that the court will order unless there is a reason to vary from the presumptively c

Eating donuts in my car with my kids still in their pajamas provide some of my favorite memories of them when they were young. We used to have a good time – or at least as good a time as possible. I can still remember my daughter being able to stand up in the front seat while she would eat a chocolate-covered twisty donut and then get dressed before preschool. (While parked, of course.) The divorce happened when they were about 6 and 2, and I was determined not to let it disr

Do you like to gamble? Have you ever lost badly? Can you imagine how badly you could lose if you don't know the rules of the game? That's what I thought of the other day, as I watched a Family Law hearing. I was in the courthouse giving one of our new employees a tour. While we were there, we decided to sit in on some "prove-up" hearings that were happening. These hearings were the type in which the attorney presenting the evidence is an Assistant Attorney General. The mom wa

My family and I flew over an ocean yesterday. We’ve only ever done that a couple of times before, and it reminded me of the importance of Trust. I was trusting the lives of my children, my wife, and me to a pilot that I had never met and knew nothing about. If he or she did not have the proper education and training and experience and judgment, everything would be over. If he or she were not dependable and decisive, when needed, there wouldn’t be a tomorrow. And all of that r

July 4th, 1776. The Declaration of Independence. The Revolutionary War. What was it all about? In a word: Freedom. Freedom from Great Britain and Freedom from laws that unreasonably interfere with our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. So, what does that have to do with Divorce and Custody law? This: The freedoms that we enjoy in America, even in the Family Law arena are not enjoyed by everyone around the world. Even those in places that we consider similar to us. For e