Houston Business and Family Law Blog

If you are a parent in Texas and are going through a divorce, figuring out custody is probably high on your priority list. While you may think you are the better parent and want to fight for sole custody, it is important to take a step back and look at the benefits to both your child and you when the court decides on joint custody. While joint may not be the best in every situation, it is the preferred method for most families.

Phys.org discusses that joint custody has a positive influence on a child's general well-being and development because there is more time spent with both parents. Research shows that children of all ages who split time between both parents fare just as well as those who live with married parents. Their physical and emotional health as well as their social behavior is better than that of children who live mainly with one parent. Children who live jointly between both caretakers tend to build healthier relationships as they grow older.   

Many Texas court systems recommend, offer or order mediation services for divorcing couples. Understanding the court's position on this conflict-resolution tool often helps litigants get the most out of mandatory mediation sessions. There is not much continuity within the different circuits, but there are some predictable elements. 

One common theme is that non-economic issues regarding children tend to be the most commonly mediated disputes. Another is that, while assistance is often available, it is typically only provided to couples with significant financial need.

As a divorced parent, being away from your children can be difficult, even when it's just for a few days. You may make every effort to be involved in their lives, including taking advantage of your custody arrangements and making court-ordered support payments. But life can throw you curves sometimes.

An unpredictable event may be making it more difficult for you to comply with the court's orders for child support. If you have lost your job, suffered a medical emergency or experienced another financial setback, you may be wondering how you will cover your child support obligation. The good news is that you may be able to obtain a support modification that can offer some relief while you get back on your feet.

Divorces necessitate that Texas couples account for all of their assets, which may be easy to do when it only involves real estate or bank accounts. However, it can be more complicated when investments like stock portfolios are taken into account. Unfortunately, while both spouses in some couples have about an equal understanding of their finances, not all spouses are intimately involved with making investment choices during the marriage.

A spouse who was not strongly involved in investment decision making may not know where all the investments are. The spouse may also be unaware of exactly how many investments a husband or wife had made. Without this knowledge, it can be a scary prospect to try to track down all the unknown investments. Spouses inexperienced with financial investments may not know where to even start looking or who they should ask to find where the investments are located.