When you hire Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers to represent you, you will have a team of dedicated advocates working diligently on every aspect of your case. Trust us to identify the key areas of concern for your upcoming proceedings, help you make more informed decisions, and ultimately assist you with reaching your desired outcomes.
If you are looking for a family attorney serving Montgomery County, it is important to find a lawyer who has proven experience handling cases like yours. We can provide legal counsel for Montgomery, Magnolia, Conroe, New Caney, Pinehurst, Porter, Shenandoah, Splendora, Willis, Woodbranch, the Woodlands; all areas throughout Montgomery County whose cases would be heard by the family courts in Montgomery County.
The attorneys at Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers have earned a strong reputation as a leading choice for family law counsel serving Montgomery County, and we are confident we can provide the compassionate and responsive legal representation you need for a wide range of family law cases.
Divorce in Montgomery County
Ending a marriage is never easy, but the formal legal process of divorcing a spouse is more challenging than many people expect. Divorce is more than just terminating a marriage contract; it is also a formal process of dividing property ownership rights and, if the couple has children, determining custody.
Whether you are filing for divorce in Montgomery County or responding to your spouse’s divorce petition, you need legal counsel on your side to navigate these challenging proceedings with confidence. Your attorney can help you gather the documentation you will need to present in order to complete the divorce process.
Most divorces are contested in Montgomery County, meaning the divorcing spouses do not agree to all terms and must resolve these issues before their divorce can be finalized. It’s possible to litigate your divorce, but you may also have the option to pursue alternative dispute resolution. Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can help you make informed decisions and guide you through your proceedings as efficiently as possible.
Child Custody Determinations
When parents divorce in Montgomery County, they must resolve child custody through the family court. It is possible for a child custody case to be part of a larger divorce or a standalone issue if the parents are unmarried. In any custody case, the court has a legal responsibility to rule in a manner that preserves the best interests of the children their ruling will affect.
Custody in Montgomery County has two main elements:
- Legal custody, which dictates the ability of a parent to make major decisions for their child. A parent must demonstrate the ability to make informed decisions regarding medical care, education, spiritual upbringing, and more, and the court will carefully evaluate their criminal history to ensure it is safe for the parent to have this level of control over the child’s life.
- Physical custody, which pertains to the child’s residence and how much time they spend with each parent. It is possible for physical custody to be arranged in various ways based on the child’s needs, daily schedule, and the living arrangements and work schedules of the parents.
It’s common for parents in Montgomery County to arrange for joint managing conservatorship in which both parents share parental responsibilities, but the court will need to evaluate several factors from each parent in making this determination. Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can help you make the strongest possible case for the custody rights you hope to obtain.
For families facing child custody cases, we want you to be aware of additional non-legal support that may be available to you through local organizations. For instance, Montgomery County Women’s Center provides many services, including crisis intervention, shelter, and counseling services. Additionally, Interfaith of The Woodlands can offer assistance with food, rent, and other family support programs when needed.
Property Division
Ending a marriage in Montgomery County requires resolving property ownership rights under the community property law. Under this law, all marital property must be divided between the spouses and, any separate property can be retained by a party after evidence of its nature is shown. It is important to understand the definitions for these two types of property and how to complete your financial disclosure.
Separate property generally includes assets and debts a spouse controlled prior to marriage, inheritance left solely to them, and gifts they have received. Marital property can include anything earned or acquired by either spouse during their marriage or any property obtained using jointly controlled funds.
If any disputes arise over property ownership rights, you will need a family attorney serving Montgomery County to help you resolve these issues. Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can provide comprehensive legal representation for the most challenging and contested property division disputes in Montgomery County.
High-Net-Worth Divorce
Couples who control substantial assets typically have greater difficulty resolving property division in divorce. They may have complex investment accounts, retirement savings, stock portfolios, cryptocurrency, and other assets and liabilities that may be difficult to untangle for the purposes of property division.
Skillern Firm, Divorce & Child Custody Lawyers can help you understand the details of the most complex financial aspects of your divorce. We can identify your greatest areas of concern and answer questions you have about the financial implications of your property division. Our goal is to help our client protect their financial interests and prepare for the next chapter of their life with confidence.
Spousal Support Determinations
When one spouse has been financially dependent on the other, or when one spouse earns significantly more income, it is possible for spousal support to come into play in their divorce. If any legal factors are present in your case, our team can help you understand this aspect of your divorce and reach a fair outcome.
Montgomery County Family Court Order Modification and Enforcement
The family court of Montgomery County acknowledges that life events can render the terms of a standing family court order untenable in various ways. If you have experienced any major change in your life that you believe warrants an adjustment to the terms of your family court order, it is important to understand what the modification process entails.
Most family law cases in Montgomery County are processed at the Montgomery County Courthouse, located at 301 N Main St, Conroe, TX 77301. The court often encourages mediation to resolve disputes before proceeding to litigation, and our attorneys can represent you through any modification or enforcement hearings with both confidence and precision.
Your family attorney serving Montgomery County can help you draft a petition for a needed modification or help you prepare a response to another party’s petition. The court sets hearings for these cases, during which all parties involved can enter evidence, testimony, and arguments. Depending on the nature of a proposed modification, it may be met with little to no resistance from the other party or may spur contentious disputes.
It is also possible to petition the family court for enforcement of the terms of the order. If any party has not complied with the terms of your family court order, seeking enforcement with the help of an attorney can resolve the situation.