Sometimes when one parent has international ties, the other parent may have concerns about international abduction. There is a two-step statutory process to assess and mitigate risk of parental international abduction. The court must consider certain factors to determine if there is credible evidence of a potential risk. If the…
The Supreme Court of Texas recently considered the property division in a Texas divorce case involving a complex estate, including an outstanding employee bonus, claims of separate property, and a retirement plan. The parties got married in 2020 and were divorced in late 2019, with litigation regarding the property division…
The property division in a high net worth Texas divorce may require one party to convey their interest in certain assets to the other spouse. In some cases, the parties may agree to liquidated damages in the event one party fails to cooperate and take the actions necessary to transfer…
In a property division of a complex estate in a Texas divorce, one party may be given the option to purchase the other spouse’s interest in real property or a business. The divorce decree may include terms regarding the purchase option, including deadlines, contingencies, and requirements that the other spouse…
Texas spousal maintenance is only awarded under certain specific circumstances. The Texas Family Code sets out guidelines for the duration of a spousal support order, but the obligation to pay future maintenance also terminates on the death of either party, remarriage of the former spouse receiving maintenance, or upon a…
During a Texas divorce case, the court may appoint a receiver to preserve and protect the parties’ property. Tex. Fam. Code § 6.502(a)(5). The receiver’s role is to receive and preserve property for all of the parties, not just the party who applied for a receiver. Protecting assets can be…
A pre-marital agreement can be a valuable way to protect assets in a high net worth Texas divorce. A pre-marital agreement can help protect a spouse’s interest in a business, identify property that will remain separate, or describe how a complex estate will be divided in the event of a…
In a high net worth divorce, the parties may want to reach an amicable resolution of property division. In a recent Texas divorce case, a husband challenged the final divorce decree that upheld the parties settlement agreement without giving him notice and a hearing. The parties got married in March…
“Domestic support obligations” as defined by the U.S. Bankruptcy Code are generally exempt from discharge in bankruptcy. Therefore, child support or spousal maintenance generally cannot be discharged in bankruptcy and must be paid. The treatment of other types of awards that may be granted in a Texas divorce, however, may…
A court dividing property in a Texas divorce may consider a number of factors, including fraud or waste of community assets by a party. A spouse may commit constructive fraud or waste by unfairly depriving the other spouse of the benefit of community assets. There is a presumption of constructive…