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In a recent custody case before the Texas Supreme Court, the mother appealed a trial court’s decision to terminate her parental rights, asking the court to reconsider this ruling. The appellate court originally declined to issue an order on the mother’s appeal, deciding she failed to follow an important procedural step when she filed her appeal. Later, however, the Texas Supreme Court overruled this decision, telling the appellate court it should have reached the merits of the mother’s request.

Facts of the Case

According to the opinion, a trial court in Texas issued an order terminating both the mother’s and father’s rights to parent their child. The trial court judge announced his ruling in July 2022, and the mother appealed in October 2022. The trial judge’s written ruling, though, did not issue until November 2022. At that point, the appellate court dismissed the mother’s appeal, since it was filed before the final order was issued.

The court issued a second order in January 2023, naming a guardian for the minor child. The mother filed a second appeal the same month, again asking the court to reconsider the trial court’s ruling. At that point, the court again rejected the mother’s order, telling her she should have appealed the November 2022 order instead of the January 2023 order.

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In a recent case before an appellate court in Texas, the mother appealed a trial court’s ruling terminating her parental rights to three children. On appeal, the mother argued that the evidence presented during trial was insufficient to find that she was unable to parent her children. The higher court reviewed the evidence, considered the mother’s argument, and ultimately affirmed the original decision. The mother’s rights therefore remained terminated after the appellate court’s ruling.

Facts of the Case

This case began when the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services filed an emergency petition with a trial court in January 2022, alleging that the mother of three children had been exposing her kids to both alcohol abuse and domestic violence. After holding a hearing, the court decided that the three children should live temporarily with their aunt, until the mother could find a stable job, take parenting classes, and work with a country drug court. The court then ordered the mother to complete these steps before she appeared again for trial.

Ultimately, the court held a trial in June 2023 and found that the mother had not taken any of the steps that would allow her to regain custody of her children. The court terminated her parental rights, and she promptly appealed the decision.

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The process of finalizing a divorce can involve significant time and emotional energy. When the parties finally receive a divorce decree, the last thing they want is to come back to court. Unfortunately, a spouse may have to seek court enforcement of the decree if his or her former spouse does not abide by its terms. Under Texas law, it is important that the trial court solely enforces the decree rather than altering its terms. A recent Texas appellate court decision demonstrates the importance of sticking to the precise terms of a final divorce decree.

According to the facts discussed in the opinion, this case concerned a trial court’s authority to award property in a way that contradicted the terms of a divorce decree. Previously, the trial court had signed a divorce decree stating that each spouse would receive 50% of proceeds from the sale of the parties’ marital property and certain personal property. The decree also provided for damages against a non-compliant party. Specifically, the decree mandated damages, including redistribution of assets, if a party failed to timely turn over an asset awarded to the other party. If a spouse did not turn over any asset, the spouse would receive a reduced portion of proceeds from the sale of the couple’s marital home. Over two years later, the Wife filed a motion for enforcement of the decree after accusing the Husband of not paying Wife for her share of assets. The trial court granted the Wife’s motion for enforcement, finding that the Husband violated the decree by failing to deliver property to the Wife or delivering property in damaged condition. Accordingly, the court awarded the Wife damages per the terms of the decree. The trial court specifically awarded the Wife the full market value of their marital property, which the decree would otherwise split between the parties.

The appeals court reversed. Under Texas divorce law, a court cannot change the division of property in a divorce decree. The Wife argued that the trial court simply applied the damages provision from the decree. However, the appeals court concluded that the trial court went beyond the decree. Specifically, the trial court awarded the entire fair market value of the marital property rather than awarding damages proportionate to the Husband’s failure to deliver the property. Moreover, the action went beyond the trial court’s authority. Texas only permits courts to modify a final judgment up to thirty days after the judgment. The appeals court found that the trial court essentially modified its judgment granting the divorce decree. In this case, the trial court awarded the entire marital property value to the Wife over two years after the decree, which exceeded its legal authority. Therefore, the appeals court struck down the trial court’s order and dismissed the case.

Typically, divorce decrees award certain items of property to each spouse. The terms of a decree are final, but a court can enforce them after entering the decree. If one spouse fails to turn over property awarded to the other spouse, the court often must enforce the decree by requiring the spouse to transfer the property. In a recent Texas appeals court opinion, the court handled a petition to enforce a decree involving several items of personal property.

According to the facts discussed in the opinion, the Husband appealed a trial court’s partial denial of his petition to enforce the parties’ divorce decree. The decree awarded the Husband patio furniture, dining room furniture, and bronze statues from the marital home. The dispute arose when the Husband sought to recover the furniture, which he claimed was still in the Wife’s possession. At the trial court hearing, the Husband presented evidence of a check he wrote for the patio furniture and photographs of the furniture. The Wife admitted she took some outdoor furniture from their marital home, but she explained that it was not the Husband’s patio furniture but rather items she received before their marriage. In support, the court-appointed receiver testified that the Wife delivered the patio furniture to the Husband and kept her separate outdoor furniture. The Wife then confirmed she never returned the dining room furniture because she had sold it. The Wife also testified that she had not handed over the statues. The trial court granted the Husband’s petition with respect to the bronze statues but denied it with respect to the patio and dining room furniture.

On appeal, the Husband argued that the trial court abused its discretion by partially denying his petition for clarification and enforcement regarding the furniture. The appeals court upheld the district court’s decision with respect to the patio furniture. As the court explained, there was sufficient evidence to conclude the Wife no longer possessed it. The appeals court cited the Wife’s testimony that the other outdoor furniture was her separate property. They also credited the receiver’s testimony that the Wife returned the Husband’s patio furniture. However, the appeals court found that the trial court abused its discretion with respect to the dining room furniture. According to the court, there was insufficient evidence that the Wife returned the furniture. In fact, the Wife admitted she possessed the furniture before ultimately selling it. Therefore, the appeals court partially affirmed and partially reversed, sending the case back to the district court to enforce the decree.

One of the largest issues in Texas child custody and divorce law is that of child support. The State of Texas has an interest in having each resident child enjoy the financial support of both parents and child support laws are designed to facilitate the fair division of child-rearing expenses between a child’s legal parents. If one party refuses to pay the amount of allotted support, a Texas court can compel that party to sell or surrender other valuable property to the court in lieu of the child support payments. The Texas Court of Appeals recently released a ruling that denied a party a significant offset to his child support arrearages based on out-of-state property that was subject to a receivership appointment.

According to the facts discussed in the recently published opinion, the parties had been a married couple with children who divorced in 2015. As part of the divorce ruling, the father was ordered to pay monthly child support to the mother. After the father failed to pay the ordered support, the mother sought an order in a Texas family court to force the father to sell property in Maine that he had previously inherited. The Texas court appointed a receiver to manage the liquidation or transfer of the property to the Mother. A receiver refers to an individual or entity appointed by a court to take control of and manage certain aspects of the property. The appointment of a receiver is typically done to protect the interests of one or more parties involved in the property dispute.

In this case, the receiver failed to immediately find the property in Maine, and no further action was taken until the particular property was sold at a foreclosure auction based on the owner’s failure to pay property taxes. After nothing was gained from the receiver appointment, the Other approached the court to get a money judgment against the father for the amounts still owed. The father challenged the debt, arguing at trial and on appeal that he should be credited for the value of the Maine property, even though it was ultimately lost before the receiver or Mother was able to take possession of the property. The appellate court rejected the Father’s arguments, holding that any fault on the receiver’s part was not that of the Mother and that the child support debt remained valid and enforceable. The father was not granted an offset and will be required to pay his arrears in full.

Family law cases are often emotionally charged and complex, particularly when it comes to parental termination proceedings. Termination of parental rights is a significant legal decision with profound implications for all parties involved. The Texas Court of Appeals recently released a judicial opinion that sheds light on the factors considered in Texas family law when determining the best interests of a child for purposes of a parental termination proceeding.

In Texas, the welfare and best interests of the child take precedence in cases involving termination of parental rights, as per Section 161.001(b)(2) of the Texas Family Code. The courts rely on a set of factors to make this determination, as highlighted in a recent judicial opinion excerpt:

  1. Child’s Wishes: The child’s own expressed preferences play a role in the decision-making process.
  2. Emotional and Physical Needs: The court examines the child’s current and future emotional and physical requirements.
  3. Emotional or Physical Danger: Consideration is given to whether the child faces emotional or physical harm, both currently and in the future.
  4. Parenting Abilities: The abilities of the parties seeking custody are scrutinized.
  5. Programs Available: The existence of support programs for the involved parties is taken into account.
  6. Plans for the Child: The court assesses the plans outlined by the parties seeking custody.
  7. Stability of Proposed Placement: The proposed placement’s stability is a critical factor.
  8. Parent’s Conduct: Parental behavior that indicates an improper parent-child relationship is reviewed.
  9. Excuses for Parent’s Conduct: Any excuses or justifications for the parent’s conduct are considered.

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Divorce in Texas is a challenging process, often marked by emotional turmoil and complex legal proceedings. When divorce becomes entwined with issues of domestic violence, the situation becomes even more daunting. Texas law is designed to protect the safety of victims of domestic violence while ensuring that alleged perpetrators of such violence are afforded due process while the court addresses the allegations. In this blog post, we delve into the details of one recently decided appellate case and explore the complex interplay between divorce and domestic violence protective orders in Texas.

The case in question revolved around a divorce that was filed in 2020. At the time of filing for divorce, the couple had been married for over three years and had a one-year-old daughter. After the man filed for divorce, the woman filed a counterpetition and sought a protective order for herself and her daughter, alleging that the husband had been violent to the wife and their daughter during the marriage.

The protective order hearing spanned six days, during which multiple witnesses provided testimony. The court also reviewed photos of injuries allegedly suffered by the victim. After the hearing, the court issued a final protective order in favor of the woman, making specific findings that the husband had committed family violence, was likely to commit it in the future, and had caused serious bodily injury. The protective order was set to last for eighteen years.

Family law practice in Texas involves complex procedures and intricate legal maneuvers, which often define the process of filing an appeal. A recent judicial opinion involving a Texas family law case where a father sought to appeal the termination of his parental rights demonstrates the intricacies and potential pitfalls of the appeal process and serves as a reminder of the importance of retaining counsel with a sufficient understanding of the law’s nuances when fighting for parental rights.

According to the facts discussed in the recent judicial opinion, a father was faced with losing his parental rights to his two children after he was found unfit during a bench trial. The trial court ultimately ordered the termination of both the father’s and the mother’s rights, citing several legal grounds under the Family Code. The parents’ world turned upside down, and they decided to appeal this life-altering decision.

Texas law allows parties to appeal to one of two different courts of appeals, and this choice can have significant implications for the case. This decision requires careful consideration and could ultimately impact the fate of the appeal. In this particular case, the father initially noticed his appeal to one court of appeals, while the mother chose the other. However, as the parties recognized the need for consolidation of their appeals from the same trial court order, a jurisdictional dispute arose. This situation necessitated a subsequent amendment to the notice of appeal to reflect the mother’s chosen appellate court.

Divorce in Texas is a challenging and emotionally charged process that often involves complex legal agreements. Most divorces end without a trial, with the parties often agreeing to a stipulation in mediation. Divorce stipulations and settlement agreements may not always be entirely clear, and enforcement of the agreements often relies on alternative interpretations of the same agreement. The Texas Court of Appeals recently ruled on a case that involved competing interpretations of the same divorce settlement agreement.

In the legal world, divorce agreements are seen as binding contracts between the parties involved. These agreements serve to demarcate the respective obligations and rights of each party, allowing them to strike the deal they choose to strike voluntarily. This principle underscores the significance of clarity and precision when drafting divorce agreements. Parties must ensure that their agreements are explicit, leaving no room for ambiguity or misinterpretation.

In the recently decided appellate opinion, the court examined a divorce agreement that centered around the division of a marital residence. The crux of the issue revolved around the date at which the property’s value would be assessed for the purpose of division. One party wished for the appraisal to be made on the date of the entry of the agreement, whereas the other party disagreed since property values had fluctuated dramatically since the agreement was reached. The agreement itself did not specify a particular date for the appraisal.

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Going through a divorce is a challenging and emotionally charged experience. When seeking legal guidance, it’s essential to make the most of your initial meeting with a Forney divorce attorney. Adequate preparation ensures that you can maximize your time together, gain clarity on the process, and set realistic expectations.

At the Forney, TX, divorce law firm of Guest & Gray, we help clients through the process of getting a divorce. Like many divorce attorneys, we provide free consultations to all prospective clients and want our initial meeting to provide you with all the information you need. So, in this blog post, we will provide you with valuable tips on how to prepare for your first meeting with one of our divorce lawyers, that way, we can provide you with meaningful advice to guide your decision-making.

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