We want our marriage to work, but it isn’t, what should we do?

Here are some rules (from the Bible) on how to treat one another. If you both will follow them, it will heal your relationship. You should ask each other about how you are doing on these.

What is a good marriage supposed to be like?

Marriage is from God and He meant it to be wonderful. A great book about this is: The Meaning of Marriage, by Keller, Timothy J., and Kathy Keller. This book will help you understand what God wants marriage to be and why it is so difficult to have a good marriage.

What kind of clients to you take?

I prefer to represent clients who have Biblical grounds for divorce or to represent the spouse who does not want the divorce. I also will work with people who are victims of abuse or whose spouses have addiction or other compulsive behavior problems like gambling. I will talk to anyone who wants a divorce, but I will encourage you to consider counseling. I can refer you to a good counselor. However, I will not tell you to stay in the same house with someone who is abusing you.

Where do you practice?

Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas is where most of my cases are. I have also had cases in Dallas County, Denton County, Parker County, and Johnson County, Texas.

What kind of approach do you take?

We try to negotiate settlements that the clients can live with, whenever possible. We seek to help people through the divorce process so with a minimum of drama and a minimum of legal fees. Ninety percent of all divorces do not have a trial. Instead the people agree on what they want to do. We help you understand your rights so you can reach a settlement and feel comfortable about it. We also look for chances to reconcile and encourage reconciliation. If one person wants out of the marriage the Court will give them a divorce. But I have had many couples reconcile and sometimes, with prayer, people who have been divorced remarry later.

What if I have to get aggressive with the other party?

Sometimes the only way to get the other party to “do right” is to have the Court sign an order telling them exactly what they must do, and then ask the Court to put them in jail if they won’t do what they have been ordered to do. Sometimes that is the only way to obtain compliance. It is not simple, but any competent lawyer can enforce an order if the order is specific enough to tell them exactly what to do and then they refuse to do it. Child support orders are the ones that are usually enforced by contempt and jail time.

However, before you bring an action for contempt, you need to remember that if you have children you will continue to have contact with the other parent several times a year during holidays and birthdays. After the divorce, there may also be graduations, marriages, and family funerals. If the kids have a relationship with both parents, then you will have contact with the other parent for the rest of your life. If you draw a line in the sand, the children (especially older children) may not choose to stand on your side of it. You need good legal advice before you declare war. Sometimes you must, sometimes you end up wishing you didn’t.

Hourly rates and payment.

The attorney’s rate is $200.00 per hour and the legal assistant’s rate is $90 per hour. The consultation is $30 for the first 30 minutes and the hourly rate after that. If you call, you will be asked to make an appointment for a consultation. Credit cards are accepted. If you have good credit, payment plans may be arranged. A retainer is usually required for family law matters.

Experience and background of the attorney.

The attorney has over 15 years of experience in family law and before that more than 10 years practicing law at a corporation. He has a master’s degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting and finance. He teaches Sunday School and seeks to minimize the impact of divorce on children. In addition to family law our firm does probate, estate planning, wills and trusts, corporate work, small scale litigation, and collection work. We don’t do bankruptcy, personal injury, or criminal work.

Doing it yourself - Filing out forms.

This office will help you with the forms involved in a divorce and some other legal matters. We will look over forms you have prepared. You will be required to pay for time spent by the lawyer and the legal assistant. Most judges will not sign a divorce decree unless you have provided the necessary information in the form. There are all kinds of rules that apply to special situations that you would not be aware of which should be covered in your divorce decree. You will need more than the basic forms if you have a house, if one of you is in the military, if one or both of you are in bankruptcy, if you are not a U.S. citizen, if you have American Indian ancestry, if there has been a history of abuse, if you can not find the other spouse, if one of you has a 401(k) or other retirement plan, if one of your children has special needs or abilities, if you won’t be able going to be able to get health insurance after the divorce. There are many other circumstances that go outside the forms available. There are things you should probably do if you think that the other person is hiding assets. You will receive a detailed questionnaire from our office, to help you be sure you have considered all the angles.

Will you represent both parties in a divorce?

No. This office will not represent both parties in a divorce. The rules of ethics that apply to attorneys strongly recommend against this.

When children are involved in marriage dissolution, it is important to have a compassionate and experienced attorney working for you. We recognize the impact a divorce can have on children, and we take care to make your experience smooth and as pleasant as possible. For more information about how we can help secure the outcome your children deserve, call us today to set up an initial consultation.

Non-payment of child support can create financial hardship for your children, and various options exist for enforcement. If you need to enforce a child support order, or if you need representation to defend against an enforcement action, call us today.

If your circumstances have changed since your divorce, we can help you modify the child support accordingly. We will explain the relevant laws and work with you to select the best course of action.