Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC Sweetwater Family Law Attorney | Estate Planning & Business Law 2025-06-03T09:54:36Z https://www.zolliesteakley.com/feed/atom/ WordPress /wp-content/uploads/sites/1601267/2020/04/apple-touch-icon-75x75.png On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[Divorce mediation has its advantages ]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46622 2022-08-30T11:53:16Z 2022-08-30T11:53:16Z Divorce has traditionally carried some stigmas with it that are now gradually starting to shift. Before, it was seen as an adversarial process where both spouses aim to destroy one another.  Thankfully, today, more couples have realized that there are no winners in this type of divorce. Collaborative approaches are becoming more popular and mediation is one such method.  Divorce mediation aims to find equitable solutions for all parties. Outlined below are some of the key advantages of this process. 

Working around your schedule 

The courts are often backlogged and cannot offer much flexibility in terms of amending dates. Mediation is much more flexible. You and your spouse can have appointments arranged at a time that suits you both, meaning that you may not have to take as much time off of work to settle the divorce.  

Maintaining privacy 

Divorce proceedings generally become a matter of public record. Mediation affords you an opportunity to avoid this. Meetings are generally confidential, with only spouses, mediators, and legal representatives being aware of what’s going on. As long as you and your spouse can keep sensitive matters under wraps, then they should not find their way into the public eye. 

A more peaceful solution 

The main advantage of divorce mediation is that it helps to keep conflict to a minimum. Not only can this help you and your spouse, but it can be much healthier for your children.  There are numerous divorce options open to you, with mediation being only one. If the differences in your marriage have become irreconcilable, make sure you seek some legal guidance before making your next move. ]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[Should you use social media during your divorce?]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46619 2022-08-12T17:44:37Z 2022-08-12T17:44:37Z For many people, social media is an important and big part of their day-to-day lives. However, when you file for divorce, it may be time to take a break or carefully consider what you post.  Keep reading to learn what you should and should not do when using social media during your divorce. 

Change your passwords

Married couples share almost everything – this may include passwords to your social media accounts, email and more. Now is the time to change your password to ensure no one can access your accounts. Even if you don’t think your ex would do anything, you never know – especially in a divorce. It’s better to be safe than sorry. 

Avoid courthouse selfies

You don’t want to take selfies at the courthouse. You can get in trouble and cause a family law matter to be even more stressful than it already is. Besides that, you don't really want your private life to be on full public display.

Never badmouth your spouse

While you may use social media to vent your frustrations in life, you need to avoid talking about your ex. Even posts that are inspirational can be taken the wrong way. Bashing your ex on social media is the last thing you want to do. In the end, this will only cost you more time and money. Wait to post these things until after your divorce is final. 

Protecting yourself in a divorce

Divorce is stressful and challenging, even in the best circumstances. Avoid making the situation worse by keeping the social media tips above in mind. Once the divorce is final, you can resume your typical social media use without worry. Still, if you want to achieve the best possible outcome for your case, you should avoid social media during your divorce. ]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[Can Texas parents create their own child support agreement?]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46616 2022-07-28T17:49:18Z 2022-07-28T17:49:18Z The turbulent emotions that plague most divorces usually rule out productive spouse-to-spouse negotiations. However, those able to work together often exit divorce with a more satisfactory settlement. Aside from the division of marital property, child matters like custody, visitation and support remain highly contentious between parents. If you and your spouse can set aside your differences long enough to make child-related decisions outside of court, it may improve your entire divorce.

Know the law

Before you begin negotiating, learn more about Texas child support laws. That is the ideal way to ensure that the support plan you agree on conforms to the law. Otherwise, you risk spending valuable time working out child support only to learn your agreement is invalid per state law.

Know the figures

Share details with each other about your income and expenses, even if you did not share such information in the past. Both of you need a complete financial accounting to arrive at a child support agreement that is fair to all, especially your kids. Remember to address unexpected child-related expenses (medical care, etc.) in your negotiations.

Know the odds of success

Even when parents agree about child support, a family law judge must give it a stamp of approval. A legal assessment ensures the agreement will have a much better chance of surviving the scrutiny of a seasoned judge. You can't have too much information about getting divorced as a parent. The more you know, the better prepared you are to address the hurdles that often accompany the legal end of a marriage.]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[Navigating the school year as a co-parent]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46613 2022-07-15T16:54:38Z 2022-07-15T16:54:38Z The new school year is just around the corner, and for co-parents, it's time to start figuring out the schedule.  If you're new to co-parenting, you may wonder how to navigate this new territory after a summer of relaxation and fun. Here are some tips on how to make the most of the school year as a co-parent.

Communication is key

Keeping communication channels open with your ex is one of the most vital parts of a successful school year. Though it can be difficult for the two of you to maintain a relationship, it is essential to remember that you are working towards the same goal: raising happy, healthy children. Although it can be challenging to coordinate schedules, it's important to make time to talk about your child's education, extracurricular activities, and other commitments. By sharing information and communicating regularly, you can help ease your child's transition into the school year. 

Keep a routine schedule

One of the best ways to make the school year go more smoothly is to stick to the schedule as much as possible, which means having a routine for homework, after-school activities, and bedtime and being consistent with rules and expectations. Establishing a routine is important for children of all ages, but it can be especially helpful for kids transitioning between two homes. Children can feel more secure and less stressed by having a set schedule. 

Don’t abandon flexibility

While you need to have a routine, you should be flexible when necessary. If one parent runs late for pick-up, the other should be willing to adjust their schedule accordingly. And if there is a last-minute change to the custody schedule, both parents should work together to find a solution that works for everyone involved.  By being flexible and working together, co-parents can make the school year a success for their children—and themselves.]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[Why military custody orders often differ from civilian ones]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46610 2022-07-04T19:02:25Z 2022-07-04T19:02:25Z Despite what some people think, Texas military divorces really aren't that different from civilian divorces. State law is still what determines how you divide your property and what happens with your children. However, there are special considerations that military service members and their spouses must factor into their divorce proceedings. Benefits, changes in pay and housing complications are all common in military divorces because of the military benefits and pay structure that factors in the family. Your family may need to address changes in your living situation and income when establishing your parenting plan. If one parent is an active-duty service member possibly subject to deployment or ongoing training requirements, there is also a special custody concern that you need to consider.

A deployed or training parent won't have parenting time

Your custody arrangements will need to have two separate sets of instructions. One will be for your current circumstances and another for when the service member might have to undergo training at another base or face deployment elsewhere. The chances are good that their ex-spouse and children will not travel with them during training or deployment, which means the parenting plan will need to include virtual visitation requirements to preserve the bond between the service member and the kids. Virtual visitation rights allow a parent to spend as much time as is reasonable and permissible given their status with the children via modern technology. Including this along with standard time-sharing rules will help your family prepare for any possible future situation without needing to go back to court. Adding virtual visitation to your custody plan is one of the ways to make the terms of your divorce more appropriate given your military service or the service of your spouse.]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[A prenup must be signed willingly ]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46607 2022-06-16T13:54:52Z 2022-06-16T13:54:52Z Prenuptial agreements can be very useful tools, but there are some common mistakes that people make that invalidate those prenups. You want to make sure that you fully understand your rights, whether you're signing a prenup or moving toward divorce with a prenup that you think will stand. If mistakes were made in the past, the prenup may not be as useful as you believe. For instance, it is very important that a prenup is signed willingly by both parties. There are a few different ways that this stipulation could be violated, potentially invalidating the document entirely:

The person was under duress

The first way that this happens is if the individual was under duress or being pressured to sign. This could happen for a variety of reasons, including financial reasons. For instance, someone might be worried that they would lose the money that they'd already invested in wedding services if they refuse to sign the prenup and the wedding is called off.

There wasn't enough time

A similar issue is when the prenup is drafted far too close to the wedding day. This may mean that the individual doesn't have time to read it or doesn't really have time to consider it. They may also feel pressured by the timeframe to simply sign, whether they agree with it or not. All of these issues could make that prenup invalid if a divorce does occur in the future. No matter where you are in this process, you can see how important it is for everything to be done in the proper order. Make sure you know exactly what legal rights you have. ]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[3 reasons drug abuse may lead to grandchild adoption]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46540 2022-06-05T21:45:09Z 2022-06-05T21:45:09Z Grandparents fill an important role in the lives of young children. They can provide childcare when parents return to work, offer financial support for a new family and be another source of guidance and love for growing children. Sometimes, grandparents won't just take the kids during the workday or for an occasional overnight trip on the weekend. Occasionally, they will need to assume full-time custody over their grandchildren because of a child's drug abuse.  What are the most common reasons that people adopt their grandkids because of drug addiction?

Addiction has disrupted the family

Some people are functional addicts who still get everything they need to do done, and others can barely remember what day it is. Parents struggling with addiction may simply be incapable of providing the stability and support that children require on a daily basis. An addicted adult child with children of their own may push their parents into adopting their grandchildren.

Addiction often leads to jail

For many families, a parent struggling with addiction will try to remain a part of their children's lives. However, once a parent faces criminal charges, they could end up in state custody. Grandparents may adopt their children when a prison sentence disrupts family life.

Addiction could lead to a termination of someone's rights

Sometimes, it is not a family decision but rather a state decision that ends a parent's legal rights regarding their children. If the state has investigated the parent for drug use and accuses them of abuse or neglect, they might go to court and terminate the parent's rights to the children. Then family members either need to step up right away or run the risk of children going to a state facility or a foster home. If you have questions about your custody rights as a grandparent, it may benefit you to explore your legal options in further detail.    ]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[Why do empty-nesters get divorced?]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46538 2022-05-18T22:31:01Z 2022-05-18T22:31:01Z increase in gray divorce cases. In many situations, these individuals are empty-nesters. They had children who have now all moved off to college. Why might the divorce rate for this age group be increasing?

They drifted apart

One thing that can sometimes happen is that parents will drift apart as a couple. They were simply so focused on being parents, and they stopped being as close to one another. They often don’t even know that this has happened until the children leave home, and suddenly they feel like their relationship has changed.

They were staying together for the kids

Another potential reason is if the parents were only staying together because of the children. Maybe they believed that the stability having married parents provides would be best for the kids. Whether or not the children realized it, the parents may have known for a while that they were planning to get divorced once they felt it wouldn’t have a negative impact on their children.

They’re living longer

Another reason that some experts have pointed to is the rising life expectancy in the United States. As people live longer, they have a greater stretch of time after the kids leave home, and they may use this period in life to reevaluate what they want and what they’d like their life to look like. If you and your spouse are getting divorced, you may have significant financial assets, even if you don’t have to deal with child custody issues. Be very sure that you understand all of your legal options.]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[Do you need to go to court to get time with your grandkids?]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46535 2022-05-09T02:45:05Z 2022-05-09T02:45:05Z You may be able to ask for visitation Child custody and visitation matters are important to others beyond just the parents of the children. State late reflects the various relationships that help support children as they grow. Texas does allow grandparents certain rights in specific situations to help preserve their connection with their grandchildren. In situations including divorces and when parents lose their parental rights or die, grandparents can potentially ask the family court to award them visitation. As long as you can demonstrate that having time with you would be in the best interest of the children, a Texas family law judge may grant you the right to visitation even if the custodial parent opposes it. In extreme cases, grandparents can also seek custody of the children for their safety and well-being. Asserting your rights as a grandparent isn't always easy. However, it can benefit you and your grandchildren in the long run.]]> On Behalf of Zollie C. Steakley, PLLC <![CDATA[3 little known reasons why a parent may lose custody of a child]]> https://www.zolliesteakley.com/?p=46533 2022-04-21T18:25:19Z 2022-04-21T18:25:19Z lose their custody or visitation rights.

Filing false accusations against the other parent

Child abuse will automatically result in the revocation of a parent’s custody or visitation rights. And so is making false claims of abuse. The family court takes any form of child abuse very seriously, which is why parents who make false claims are never left scot-free.

Neglecting the child

Failure to provide proper feeding, clothing, grooming or address the child’s emotional needs – all these amounts to neglect. The court will consider revoking your custody rights if it believes that the neglect in question is endangering the child’s health and/or safety.

Alienating the child from the other parent

The family court typically arrives at a custody decision that allows the child to have a healthy relationship with both parents. Both parties have a legal duty to abide by the terms of the custody arrangements. Parental alienation happens when one parent attempts to prevent the child from having a healthy relationship with the other parent. The court will strip you of your custody or visitation rights if it establishes that you are trying to alienate the child from the other parent. Divorce or separation comes with unique challenges when kids are involved. Knowing your rights and responsibilities under the law can help you ensure that your child’s interests are not violated by the other parent.  ]]>