Experienced and Effective San Antonio Family Law Attorney • Contact Us
As part of our comprehensive family law practice, we represent clients in a wide variety of litigation, including:
- Divorce, spousal support, and the division of marital property
- Division of property and assets, including military retirement benefits
- Spousal support and maintenance sometimes called alimony
- Child custody, visitation, and grandparent access
- Child support matters, including enforcement, collection, and defense
- Paternity issues, such as testing and voluntary legitimization
- Adoption, including stepparent adoption
- Post-decree modification of divorce, custody, support, and visitation
- Mediation of family law matters in appropriate cases
- Domestic violence and protective orders, as well as Child Protective Services matters
We understand that the best solutions in these cases often come from negotiation outside the courtroom. We are dedicated to pursuing the course most likely to result in a positive outcome, and we are fully prepared to stand up for your rights at trial.
When spouses decide on divorce, a number of legal issues may arise in the process. If there were children born during the marriage, custody of those children will have to be determined.
Every decision made by a court involving children from the marriage will revolve around what is to be considered in the best interest of the child or children. If the parents cannot agree on primary or joint custody, a judge will have a significant amount of discretion in making the determination, oftentimes relying upon an advocate or ad litem appointed by the court to serve as a representative of the child or children. The representative will interview the parents as well as the children and may review any other information considered pertinent to the issue of custody and make a finding or report to the court.
Child support and visitation rights must also be determined, using guidelines and the best interest standard for the children.
If children have not been born during the marriage, a divorce may still take on a number of complexities in regard to marital property rights.
From an emotional standpoint, divorce is rarely an easy thing to accomplish. Though difficult, emotions must oftentimes be set aside and legal issues handled in a calm, mature and objective manner. This is especially true when there are children involved.
San Antonio Child Custody Lawyer
Battles over child custody are often the most emotional part of every divorce settlement. Too often, spouses place their own concerns ahead of what is best for the children. Unfortunately, many inexperienced lawyers don’t understand that Texas courts are primarily interested in the child’s welfare. Judges simply won’t agree to a child custody arrangement that doesn’t protect the child’s needs.
Our firm has been representing clients in divorce and child custody matters for nearly a quarter of a century. We know what factors judges consider when formulating their decisions, so we will tailor our proposed settlements to increase your chances of success. We always strive to avoid an emotional, expensive child custody battle that only causes long-term harm to your family.
If you are involved in a divorce or child custody matter, contact us to discuss your concerns.
During your free consultation, we will clearly explain important issues that will affect the outcome of your child custody dispute:
- Social Study: We are familiar with the various family services professionals who will make recommendations based on your children’s needs.
- Ad litem services: In some cases, it may be the best course of action to have an attorney act as a guardian ad litem to represent the interests of the child. We know the appropriate attorneys and law firms that provide this service.
- Discovery of evidence and disclosure: Child custody cases aren’t simply a case of he-said-she-said. We have the professional resources to thoroughly investigate the evidence to ensure that your case for custody is clearly represented.
- Temporary orders of custody: In some cases pending trial, a temporary order of custody is necessary. We aggressively fight on your behalf while preparing your case for trial.
- Child support and visitation rights: Awards of child support and visitation time are often a matter of Texas law. We will work hard to ensure that your rights and best interests are protected.
A Special Note About Child Custody and Immigration
If your custody arrangement will affect the immigration status of your children, make sure your attorney has knowledge and experience in federal immigration law. Our firm has been helping clients with all family immigration matters since we opened our doors in 1984.
We represent clients in all matters relating to child custody, including:
- Joint physical custody
- Joint legal custody
- Custody modifications
- Termination of parental rights (TPR)
- Non-custodial parental rights
- Child support guidelines and collections
Although we are a full-service general litigation practice, we focus on several particular areas of the law, including:
Family law matters such as divorce, child custody, child support, division of property, spousal support, and grandparent rights.
Immigration advocacy in matters such as obtaining visas for family members, citizenship/naturalization, and deportation defense.
Criminal defense representation in cases of alleged violations of state or federal criminal law.
Civil trial law, including business litigation, probate, estate disputes, and personal injury cases.