Houston Family Law Blog

Now that you have decided to get a divorce and have begun the legal process for doing so, it might feel like everything is on the line, especially if you have children. For a parent going through a divorce, children are often the most important asset they simultaneously wish to protect and fight over in custody battles.

Some couples may be able to avoid a child custody dispute by coming to a mutual agreement over the terms of the custody agreement. While it's difficult to imagine what life would be like without having a child under one's roof all the time, using this motivation to engage in a lengthy dispute will only create bitterness in an already emotionally charged time. Accepting this reality and working out an agreement that works for both parties and retains the loving, supportive environment that children have become accustomed to works for everyone in the long-run.

While no one goes into their marriage expecting it to end, according to some data, divorce might be predicted by the career one has. According to an analysis of data collected by the U.S. Census, young married couples are facing higher divorce rates based on the field they are working in.

While Houston residents might think this means that married individuals should not work, this is not what the data claims. In fact, the research suggests reasons for why remaining married might be difficult in particular fields. For example, one of the top spots in the survey was held by military jobs. This could be because frequent deployments, moves and difficulties in reintegrating upon return, strain a marriage. The same could also be said for other careers that involve a lot of travel.

Deciding to end one's marriage is often a difficult decision made by Texas residents. But, once the decision is made, many find themselves in a rush to finally finish their legal bond with one another and move on with their lives. This is why many Texas men and women end up agreeing to terms in the divorce agreement that are most likely detrimental to them in the long run. However, by shortchanging oneself in either the divorce agreement or spousal agreement, one can end up facing a number of challenging years ahead.

There are a number of reasons a spouse might require spousal support during the first few years after the divorce or why a parent might prefer having joint physical custody, and it's likely that the only time to voice those concerns is during the divorce process. There are also a number of other issues that need to be addressed prior to finalizing a divorce and attorneys may be able to provide help in how to proceed.

When a Texas court is determining how to divide child custody, it must do so while keeping the children's best interests in mind. This means whatever decision is made must be made in order to benefit the children, emotionally, physically, or financially. Regardless of how difficult it is, parents should put their children's best interests first when determining who should have custody during the holidays.

If parents have divorced amicably and live near one another, they might decide to split the hours of the holiday equally. However, this arrangement might end up backfiring, as children might find going from one location to another chaotic or stressful. It could also increase the amount of interaction parents have with one another post-divorce, which they may be trying to avoid. Therefore, while this arrangement could be beneficial for amicable parents with older children, it might not be the best option for ones with an acrimonious relationship.