Sugar Land Family Lawyer

Sugar Land Family Law Attorney

The legal umbrella of family law covers many different issues that affect the dynamic of families across Sugar Land. This includes divorce, child custody, spousal maintenance, adoption, and property division. These can be some of the most emotionally challenging battles to navigate as you are processing significant changes to your life while trying to take care of your legal responsibilities. A Sugar Land family lawyer can take on your case and work to help you move forward.

At D Marie Family Law, our family lawyer, Donnica Marie Blackful, understands how upsetting these family-related legal issues can be. She can step in and help where you need it most. Whether you are unsure what custody arrangement would help your children the most, need support dividing marital assets, or want to avoid making any legal errors during your divorce, she can help you achieve your legal goals as efficiently as possible.

Common Family Law Issues and the Evidence Needed to Support Your Case

Because family law cases can vary so widely, the type of evidence that can be most helpful in each situation also varies. Below are some of the most common family law cases and the evidence that can be used to strengthen your position in each scenario.

Divorce and Property Division

Most divorce cases will require the couple to tabulate which items are separate assets and marital assets. This is the first step in property division. However, the process of doing so can become quite contentious, especially when disputes arise over who owns what items and how much the items are worth.

Some evidence to support these cases includes:

• Financial records: Providing your bank statements, tax returns, and credit card records can all help to show how much money each person makes, what expenses they have cared for, and what their financial contributions have been toward the marriage.
• Property documentation: The court will want to review any titles, deeds, mortgage statements, and appraisals to establish who owns what assets and how much they are worth.

Child Custody and Visitation

Cases of child custody take into consideration each parent’s ability to provide a safe and stable home environment for a child to be raised in. A judge will look into how strong the bond is between the child in question and each parent, their living conditions, and their overall well-being. It’s critical for parents to present evidence that helps to demonstrate their parental capabilities as part of the custody and visitation determination process.

Some of these can include:

• Parenting schedules: Show any logs or calendars you have that demonstrate the consistent role you play in your child’s life.
• School and medical records: Present these records to show you are on top of your child’s education and health needs and have played an active role in their growth.
• Character references: See if you can secure any testimonials from a teacher, coach, or neighbor who can attest to your fitness as a parent.

Spousal Maintenance

Spousal maintenance is a monthly payment intended to provide financial assistance to the lower-earning spouse after a divorce. The specifics of a spousal maintenance payment will depend on Texas Family Code and is only available in certain circumstances.

Useful evidence to support these claims includes:

• Financial records: Present your pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, and any profit/loss statements to give a true picture of your financial health.
• Employment records: Show your job history or any evidence you have of a spouse’s inability to work due to an illness or lack of qualifications.
• Standard of living: Receipts, bills, or any other lifestyle-related expenses that were incurred during the marriage.

It’s important to note that the court generally limits spousal maintenance to the shortest time necessary to reasonably become financially self-sufficient unless either the spouse or a child under their care has a disability.

FAQs About Sugar Land, TX Family Laws

Contact D Marie Family Law Today

If you reside in the Sugar Land area and are looking at the possibility of a family law dispute, contact our firm as soon as you can. Our attorney, Donnica Marie Blackful, has years of experience supporting clients in many different areas of family law and can leverage her success in this space to help you achieve your goals.