Fort Bend County, TX Family Law Attorney

Divorce in Fort Bend County

Ending your marriage in Fort Bend County is a more challenging process than many people initially expect. You must resolve property division, various financial issues, and, if you have children, custody rights. Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can identify the key areas of concern for your divorce, listen to your needs and goals, and develop an individualized strategy aimed at helping you secure your preferred outcomes.

Most divorce cases are contested, meaning the divorcing spouses do not agree on certain terms and must resolve these issues before their divorce can be finalized. It’s possible to resolve your divorce in the courtroom throughlitigation, but it may also be possible to explore alternative dispute resolution. Our team can explain your options and assist you in pursuing a resolution that aligns with your goals.

Property Division in Divorce

Ending a marriage also means dividing ownership of your marital property with your spouse. In Fort Bend County, divorcing couples must use the community property standard to divide all marital assets anddebts. Generally, any income earned, property purchased, and liabilities acquired during a marriage or using jointly owned assets will qualify as marital property under the community property standard.

Each spouse is required to prove their ownership of separate property. This can include things they owned prior to marriage, inheritance left solely to them, and gifts. Each spouse must provide a complete and accuratefinancial disclosure statement that includes clear records for all property they control. If any disputes arise, or if you believe your spouse has hidden assets, your Fort Bend family law attorneys at Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can address these issues for you.

High-Net-Worth Divorce

When a high-net-worth couple divorces in Fort Bend County, resolving property division can be especially challenging. These cases may involve business ownership interests, retirement accounts, complex investments, and stock portfolios that can seem difficult to divide. Your Fort Bend family law attorney can help you address these issues with confidence.

Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers has years of experience helping high-net-worth clients navigate the divorce process and preserve their financial interests. While it’s true that any divorce is likely to havelong-term financial implications for both spouses, high-net-worth cases present additional challenges, and more is likely to be at stake for each spouse. It’s crucial to have legal counsel you trust on your side for this type of divorce.

Spousal Support

If one spouse earns significantly more income than the other, or if one spouse is financially dependent on the other, spousal support could come into play as an element of their divorce. The attorneys at Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers will assist in determining if the factors are present in your case and, provide through legal advice in relation to this aspect of your divorce. 

Child Custody Determination

When parents end their marriage in Fort Bend County, they resolve child custody through the family court system. The court needs to ensure that the custody order is in the best interests of the couple’s children, and to do this, the Judge handling the case must review various factors about each parent, such as:

Your Fort Bend family law attorneys at Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can help you build a strong case for the custody rights you hope to obtain. It is important to remember that Family Court Judges generally strive to provide a child with as close to equal access to both parents as possible, so it is common for Judges to order joint managing conservatorships in which both parents share legal and physical custody.

Legal custody is the ability to make major decisions for a child, while physical custody pertains to the amount of time the child spends living with each parent. Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can listen to your needs and goals when it comes to a custody determination and do everything we can to help you secure a favorable result.

Because child custody can be stressful, it is helpful to know about the non-legal support organizations that Fort Bend County offers. For example,Fort Bend Family Promise provides housing and family stability services for parents and their children, andEast Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry assists low-income families with emergency aid, including food and counseling.

Family Court Order Modification

If you have a standing family court order in Fort Bend County and unexpectedly experience a major life event, you may need to modify the terms of the order to accommodate this change. Relocation, a change in income, a medical emergency, or a sudden change in a child’s needs are some of the most common reasons for people to seek modifications through the family court system.

Some modifications are approved without contest, while others are hotly disputed. Your Fort Bend family law attorney can help you prepare a Petition to Modify or, if necessary, assist you in contesting another party’s proposed Modification.

Most family law cases in Fort Bend County are handled at the Fort Bend County Justice Center (1422 Eugene Heimann Cir, Richmond, Tx 77469). If you are filing a Modification or need to enforce a court order, your case will likely go through this courthouse.

Family Court Order Enforcement

It is also possible to petition the Fort Bend family court for an Enforcement of your order. If an ex-spouse or co-parent has failed or refused to comply with the terms of your family court order, they may face contempt of court or even criminal prosecution. Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can assess your situation and explain the potential benefits of pursuing an enforcement action if necessary for your case.