Divorce is one of the most difficult and painful events in the life of a family-for both the parents and the children.

 

In Texas, most are known as “no fault” divorce, although a divorce also can be granted on the grounds of abandonment, adultery or cruelty. However, the two main issues at staake are what we call conservatorship (i.e., child custody) taking into account the “best interests” of the children and division of the community property (i.e., the property acquired during the marriage, which is also known as marital property).

 

The Begining:

 

First, you will need to schedule a consultation to determine realistically what kind of proccess and fight you may be in for. Then, A divorce proceeding is initiated by either or both spouses filing a petition with the court. The case will then be assigned to a specific judge who will preside over the proceeding until concluded. Each party typically hires an attorney. Depending upon the nature and amount of the marital property and level of acrimony, the divorce usually will take substantially longer than sixty (60) days to finalize.In a contested divorce, securing the appropriate temporary orders is critical.

Temporary Orders:
 

Temporary orders govern all aspects of the divorce proceeding between the date the petition is filed and the date the divorce is granted, such as spousal support, custody and support of the children, living arrangements of the children, visitation of the children, payment of bills, possession and use of the marital assets–including the family home–payment of attorney’s fees and other procedural matters. In some cases, a temporary restraining order (TRO) may be warranted to prevent harassment or prevent the sale or transfer of marital property

The Discovery Process:

 

After the temporary orders are entered, the discovery process begins. This is the process where the parties learn facts about each other’s contentions in the divorce proceedings and the nature and extent of their marital property. Discovery is critical in a contested divorce because it affords the parties an opportunity to learn information necessary to evaluate the case. It also is important for discovering, locating, recovering, valuing and dividing marital property. The discovery process cannot be completed overnight. It takes time to thoroughly evaluate the situation and gather the necessary information.Discovery may be in the form of written questions directed to the parties through their lawyers. It also may be in the form of requests for copies of documents, such as deeds, vehicle and boat titles, bank account records, stocks and bonds, farm and ranch records, business records, tax returns, credit card statements, telephone records and other relevant documents. Discovery also may be in the form of oral testimony in a deposition. A Sworn Inventory and Appraisement listing the value of the parties’ marital property and debts is prepared using the information collected during the discovery process.Preparation of the Sworn Inventory and Appraisement is an important step in evaluating the parties’ marital property and liabilities. Each party prepares and submits to the other party a detailed accounting of all community property and liabilities, as well as any separate property. Each party assigns a value to the property and liabilities, and verifies the completeness and accuracy of the inventory under oath. The sworn inventory is then used to divide the community property and liabilities.Concluding the Divorce ProceedingOnce the discovery process is completed, the divorce proceeding is resolved either by settlement or by trial.

Trial:

The trial may be before a jury or the judge alone. If the case is tried, the court will hear the evidence, and a jury verdict (or judge’s ruling) will be rendered that determines the custody issue and the property division. The standard for deciding the custody issue is what is in the “best interest” of the children. The standard for dividing marital property and debts is what is “just and right.” The practical application of these standards will depend on the facts and circumstances of each case.The court will then enter the final divorce decree, which will establish custody and visitation rights, define and divide the marital property and liabilities, and assess attorney’s fees and expenses.  Even an agreed–upon final divorce decree may be modified if one spouse later learns that the other spouse misrepresented the nature and amount of marital property during the negotiations.If you are contemplating divorce or your spouse has already filed for divorce, call our office today, we are dedicated to creatively resolving your divorce–related issues and securing the final decree as quickly and efficiently as possible. As a trial lawyer, however, Daniel Baldree and his associates are prepared to go to war at the courthouse if need be.