In divorce mediation, a neutral conflict resolution professional helps spouses come to an agreement about their divorce or other family dispute. Once an agreement is reached, the agreement is memorialized in a Mediated Settlement Agreement. The parties can participate with or without a lawyer, but a lawyer will be needed afterwards to prepare the closing documents based on the Mediated Settlement Agreement.
Child Support
Linda Stanley practices family law exclusively, which means she is able to concentrate her attention on the needs of our clients involved in family conflict and draw on her many ties to community resources and the legal community developed over her years of practice in the same field in Austin and the surrounding area. She is intimately familiar with the Texas child support laws and keeps up-to-date as laws and regulations change in order to ensure her clients are well-informed and aligned with the law in their choices.
Child Custody and Visitation
No two families in this world are the same. It then follows that when a family is going through a divorce that no two families will have the exact same needs when deciding on a child visitation and custody schedule. This is why it is so important to have an attorney who understands all of your needs and can help you plan accordingly.
Adoption
Paternity issues also arise when the mother of a child marries another man who wants to adopt the child. This "step-parent adoption" can only take place if the biological father relinquishes his parental rights or if the father's parental rights are terminated by the court. Adoption and termination of parental rights cases can also be complex — perhaps the biological father cannot be found or refuses to cooperate. Linda Stanley can help you file your suit for termination and adoption and advise you about how best to accomplish your goal — adoption of the child.
Paternity
If you have questions about paternity actions, termination of parental rights you're your rights to child support or visitation as an unmarried parent, we invite you to contact our offices to schedule a confidential consultation. Call 512-399-5718, or send us an e-mail.
Premarital Agreement
If all legal requirements were met, the court should uphold a prenuptial agreement. It is important to bring your prenuptial agreement with you to the first meeting with your lawyer.
Spousal Support
Texas has a spousal maintenance statute which provides that a court may award limited spousal support if certain conditions are met. Generally, the marriage must be of 10 years duration and the spouse seeking support must be financially unable to provide for his or her minimum reasonable needs. Spouses can, of course, agree to any amount of contractual alimony.
Legal Separation
If it is necessary to have orders in place during the pendency of the divorce, the parties can agree on or the court will impose "Temporary Orders" which will remain in place until the divorce is granted. Temporary orders can address a variety of issues such as conservatorship, custody and support. The orders may also provide for who has the right to live in the house, drive the vehicles of the parties or operate a community business. In Travis County, a Standing Order imposes certain injunctions on both parties as soon as the divorce is filed. More information about the Travis County Standing Order can be found at the Travis County Courts website. There is no "legal separation" in Texas and temporary orders take the place of a legal separation agreement found in some states.
Attorney Linda Stanley has been licensed in Texas since 1984 and has practiced family law since 1986. She began by representing needy families free of charge in family disputes, and quickly decided that family law — rather than business law — was her true calling.
Ms. Stanley has mediated hundreds of cases, including divorces, other family law matters, employment disputes and personal injury cases. She has also been appointed frequently by the Travis County judges to mediate Child Protective Services cases.
The court can only divide the community property of the parties; it cannot divide or give away separate property. Generally speaking, separate property is property you owned prior to marriage or property you acquired during marriage by gift or inheritance. Some personal injury proceeds may also be separate property. Community property is generally all property you acquired during marriage.