What is the best interest of the child in Texas?

During a family matter in Texas Courts, when there are children involved, judges time and time again go by the statute where "the best interest" of the child is what matters. The best interest of the child shall always be the primary consideration of the court in determining the issues of conservatorship and possession of and access to the child. Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 153.002

What does this means? For the most part, Courts take in consideration many factors, in order to arrive at what Courts deem "the best interest" for the children. Many times, this is easier said than done.

Can Court get the wrong factors when deciding the "best interest?" They could and some times they do. That is why you need a lawyers that will fight for yours and your children rights.

Our San Antonio Lawyers are here to help you with your family matter. We can help you with a divorce, child custody, child support, adoptions, CPS cases, and many more areas of law. You need a lawyer that understand your position and perhaps has been there before.

Come and see us, and you will know why you should have our law firm help you with your legal needs. We are San Antonio Family Attorneys that can help you with your legal needs.

When you cannot afford an attorney in Texas, but need a divorce, Cheap Texas Divorce can help you!

My Divorce Decree has been signed by the Judge, is there anything else I should be doing?

Yes. After the Divorce Decree is signed the Divorce is over, right? Not necessarily. Some of the most important things occur after the Decree is signed and the divorce has been granted. This is when real property transfers are made – such as a Special Warranty Deeds or Deeds of Trusts to Secure an Assumption. This is also when a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, Child Support Wage Withholding Order, and other collateral orders need to be prepared and signed by the Judge if these have not yet been completed. If you are the recipient of child support, you should also think about getting a file opened with the Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG) in case your Obligor spouse falls behind in his or her child support. Sometimes it is necessary to think about the transfer of personal property, the payment of attorney’s fees, preparation of federal income taxes, the transfer of personal items, cash payments that may have been ordered, and the transfer of other items such as family photographs and other things of sentimental value that may need to be shared. Finally, this is also a good time to consider updating your wills and other estate planning documents.

The 2009 Texas Attorney General Tax Chart.

The 2009 Attorney General Tax Chart is now available for the setting of child support in Texas. It is interesting to note that the Texas Minimum Wage will change from $6.55 to $7.25 on July 24, 2009. Therefore, the minumum wage presumption used for setting child support will increase on that day.

As a result, if child support is set using the minimum wage presumption (based upon a 40 hour work week), child support would be as follows:

From January 1, 2009 to July 23, 2009:

1 Child - $202.57
2 Children - $253.22
3 Children - $303.86
4 Children - $354.51
5 Children- $405.14
6+ Children- Not Less Than $405.14

From July 24, 2009 to December 31, 2009:

1 Child - $222.56
2 Children - $278.20
3 Children - $333.84
4 Children - $389.48
5 Children - $445.12
6+ Children- Not Less Than $445.12

These amounts do not include arguments that the Obligor might have for paying a reduced amount due to actual payments of union dues and/or health care insurance for the child(ren). Also, the amounts also do not adjust for any children that outside the household upon which the order is based, for whom the Obligor may also have a duty of support. For the reduced percentages, see Texas Family Code §154.129

I’ve been served with a Divorce Petition in Texas, what should I do / not do?

Although receiving a divorce petition is scary, there is usually time to act. As is explained in the document attached to the divorce petition called the “Citation,” (assuming this was included with the service papers) you generally will have until the “Monday next following the expiration of twenty days (at 10:00 in the morning)” within which to file an Answer. Sometimes you may have even longer (up to a 60 day waiting period) if the Original Petition was filed recently. This means that if an Answer is not filed before the deadline, your spouse can obtain a divorce and you will literally have no say in the terms. As a result, unless there is an immediate hearing scheduled (usually called a “Temporary Orders” hearing), you will have until Monday at 10:00 a.m. following twenty days from the day you were served within which to file an “Answer.” As a result, this is at least twenty days. This should be plenty of time for you to retain an experienced divorce attorney and get your Answer filed. You can certainly meet with your spouse to discuss the situation, provided you can do so without any possibility of threats or violence. However, you should not sign anything without first talking to a lawyer. If there is a Temporary Orders hearing scheduled, you should either retain an attorney well in advance of the hearing date or (or if you are unable to hire an attorney prior to the hearing date) at least go to the hearing and explain to the Judge that you have not yet had the opportunity to hire an attorney. Unless there is some emergency, the Judge will usually grant this request – called a “continuance.”

FAQ regarding Divorce # 14: How much will I have to pay in Child Support?

This usually depends upon three things: (1) the number of children involved in the Divorce, (2) whether there are any children “outside of the marriage,” and (3) how much you (as the “Non-custodial Parent,” or NCP) earns. The general percentages applied to your “Net Resources” (but not your current spouse’s Net Resources) are as follows:

One Child 20%
Two Children 25%
Three Children 30%
Four Children 35%
Five Children 40%
Six + Children Not less than Amount for Five Children

The percentages are slightly less if you have other children that are “outside of the marriage,” in other words you pay a little less (but not much) if you have children from a prior relationship for whom you also have a “legal duty of support.” If you are paying child support regarding other children, or if you support other children who reside with you, then you would pay a slightly lower percentage of your Net Resources than under the preceding guidelines.

“Net Resources” does not mean “net income,” however. It is not calculated based upon what you actually receive in your paycheck, because you can change this yourself (i.e. – take out more for a 401k contribution, etc.). The Court will calculate this fictional “Net Resources” by subtracting out what a single person taking the standard deduction and one personal exemption would pay in taxes (Social Security and FICA). You can find these amounts in the Attorney General’s Child Support Tax Tables, which is located on their website. The Court will also subtract any amounts actually paid by you for health insurance for the benefit of the Child, but not the portion of your health insurance deduction that applies to your own coverage. The Court will also deduct any union dues that you must pay.

Also, you need to be aware that the Court will consider any other sources of income that you are entitled to receive, including commissions, overtime pay, bonuses, interest on savings, dividends, capital gains, royalty income, net rental income, annuities, pensions, severance pay, retirement benefits, disability or workers’ compensation benefits, social security benefits, and similar sources of revenue. Persons who are self-employed should be aware that the Court will not merely look to your “salary,” if any, but may consider any benefits allocated to you from your business or undertaking, after taking into consideration the ordinary and necessary expenses required to produce such income.

There is a “cap” on the amount of Net Resources to which the foregoing percentage guidelines can be applied. That amount, for cases filed after September 1, 2007 (but before the next cost of living adjustment in 2013) is $7,500 per month. This is the maximum amount of Net Resources that the Court will usually consider for purposes of calculating your child support obligation, even if your actual Net Resources are greater. For example, a person with Net Resources of more than $9,000 per month with one child would generally pay child support in the amount of $1,500 each month, calculated as follows: $7,500 times 20% = $1,500.
Sometimes, the Court will award more or less than the amount calculated under the statutory guidelines, but only in compelling circumstances (this is referred to as a “Variance”). As the name “Guideline” implies, this is the amount that will guide the Court – and the amount you usually will pay.