Four Qualities to Look for When Hiring a Family Law Firm |
Posted: December 9, 2022 |
Filing for divorce without a lawyer may not be advisable if you and your spouse don't agree on details involved in the divorce, such as the division of child custody or financial assets. It's ideal to find a family law firm in Houston, TX that can guide you through your divorce. But what are the top qualities you should look for when you are searching for a legal firm? Four Qualities to Look for When Hiring a Family Law Firm1. Experience With Your Type of CaseThe law firm you hire must have experience with the type of divorce case you need to file. For example, if you are filing a contested divorce where you and your spouse will need to hammer out an agreement for the division of property, assets, debt, and child care, it's best to hire a legal firm that handles this type of divorce case. Divorcing With Children vs. Divorcing Without ChildrenThere is a huge difference between filing for divorce with children versus filing for divorce without children. The primary difference is child custody, which often involves a secondary legal strategy to divide parenting rights to determine child support. It's very common for parents getting a divorce to battle over child custody, so you must have a legal firm on your side that has experience with child custody fights. 2. Lawyers With Good Reputations and Communication SkillsThe law firm you hire must have lawyers with good reputations and communication skills. You can assess the lawyer's reputation by asking other people in the legal field or by finding testimonials from previous clients. 3. Accommodations for Your CircumstancesIt may also be essential that the law firm has accommodations or strategies set in place for your specific divorce circumstances. For example, if you are a victim of domestic violence, then the legal team you hire must be prepared to protect you from a potentially violent ex-spouse and look out for the best interests of you and your children. 4. Adequate ResourcesFinally, the law firm you hire must have adequate resources. In general, you can assess the resources of a legal firm by comparing the ratio of lawyers to paralegals. A robust legal staff will also have plenty of investigators and other experts who can assess details about your divorce case. What Is Involved In a Divorce in Houston, TX?Even if you are hiring a top-notch legal firm to handle your Texas divorce, there may be some factors about your divorce that you are curious about. Visit this page to learn more about the steps for filing for a divorce in Houston, TX. Step One: Establish ResidencyBefore you can file force paperwork in Texas, you must first establish residency in the state. Residency is generally established by one or both spouses living in Texas for at least six months. You can only file for Texas divorce in the county where you or your spouse have lived for at least 90 days. Step Two: Grounds for DivorceIn addition to deciding between a contested or uncontested divorce, you and your spouse must also agree on the grounds for your divorce. In Texas, the grounds for divorce can include insupportability, cruelty, adultery, felony conviction, abandonment, confinement to a mental institution, or living apart for at least three years. Step Three: Financial InformationNext, financial information about you and your spouse will be gathered so your lawyer can help divide debts and assets. In Texas, most debts and assets are divided evenly based on community property. Part of examining your financial information may also include assessing the potential for spousal support or child support payments. Step Four: Sign Divorce AgreementAfter property, assets, debts, and child custody (if applicable) have been divided, you and your spouse will sign a divorce agreement. This agreement is legally enforceable, which means that if either spouse violates orders for child support, spousal support, or child custody, you can take your case to family court again.
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