The involuntary termination of parental rights implicates fundamental constitutional rights. Holick v. Smith, 685 S.W.2d 18, 20 (Tex. 1985). To terminate parental rights, the trier of fact must find, by clear and convincing evidence, that the parent has committed one of the acts prohibited under section 161.001(1) of the Texas…
Yes, But Guest & Gray, P.C. Can Help: You’re in the midst of a contested divorce and you are keeping all of your friends, relatives, and the world update on Facebook. You post pictures, updates as to the status of your case, and post how you feel about your soon-to-be-ex.…
If there is an allegation that either you or the other parent is abusing an illegal controlled substance, then a drug test can be requested. Typically, the testing will occur with Forensic DNA & Drug Testing facility in Dallas and if requested by either party, then the court will order…
Congratulations, you have made it to mediation stage in your family law case. For many, this is the step to final orders in your case. That is, if you have a successful mediation. There are a few things that you and your attorney can do to ensure this is the…
The court in your family law case has received a request to order you to pay attorney’s fees for the other party. Is the court allowed to do that? And if they are allowed, what kind of evidence is required to prove the amount? The Dallas Court of Appeals explored…
When you seek to modify a mediated settlement agreement that is an original determination of parent-child relationship matters, does a trial court have to enter an order that meets the terms of the mediated agreement? The Dallas Court of Appeals considered this issue in a recent decision and found that…
The reality is that most people get served with divorce papers and stick their heads in the sand because they are in denial. You cannot let this happen to you. If you fail to file a response, hire an attorney, or show up to the hearing, then you are facing…
If you are a parent involved in a divorce with your children or in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, you have to be careful in terms of deciding what conservatorship you ask for, or even agree to. In particular, let’s say that the other parent has a lot of…
You’re in the midst of a divorce or suit affecting the parent-child relationship and you’re discussing the rights and duties that each parent will have with respect to the child or children. In particular, you are discussing additional ways to have “visitation” with your child outside of the standard possession…
It has been a few months since you’ve finalized your divorce or suit affecting the parent-child relationship and you either realize that you’re not happy with what was ordered, or the other parent hasn’t been complying with the orders. In particular, let’s say you do not like the conservatorship ordered,…