Recognizing that the judicial system is overwhelmed by family law cases and is, at times, ill-equipped to handle cases involving children with special needs, author and attorney, Margaret “Pegi” S. Price has drafted a practical guide that can help lawyers address the needs of these families better and prevent placing these children in crisis. She begins her book, The Special Needs Child and Divorce: A Practical Guide to Handling and Evaluating Cases, with a description of what special needs are, a discussion of pertinent legislation regarding disabilities, and some guidance to enable courts and attorneys to identify and handle cases involving children with special needs.
Read moreTo Boost or Not? Considerations for the “Best Interest of the Child”
Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay
With the news of yet another booster rollout come the anxieties that many people, particularly parents, feel when deciding what’s best for the health and safety of their children. In some cases, the timeline of vaccine approvals for young people has coincided with increased parental conflict. Those with shared custody agreements who don’t see eye to eye on how to best care for the medical needs of their children are even ending up in court. Visit the links within to learn more about this topic and what the law in Texas says about your rights to act in the best interests of your child.
Read moreCiv Pro: Is my case contested or uncontested?
Many pro se litigants have questions about the legal terms “uncontested” and “contested.” The most common case where these legal terms are used are in divorces – for example, a “contested divorce” or “uncontested divorce.”
Uncontested or non-contested cases are cases that can be finished by agreement because both parties agree about all the issues. An uncontested divorce is “when the parties are not fighting each other about the divorce itself or the terms of their separation.”
Read moreNational Retirement Security Awareness Month - Resources for Women
Gender-based pay disparities and other financial challenges often result in lower retirement savings for women, and far too often, poverty in old age. For guidance and information about women’s financial concerns, we’re providing a list of resources. The items included on the list provide a thorough picture of the retirement hurdles faced by women. Also provided are tips and advice for helping women achieve financial security in later life and for avoiding the financial hardships that so many women experience.
Read moreLatest & Greatest – The Military Divorce Handbook: A Practical Guide to Representing Military Personnel and Their Families
By Mark E. Sullivan
Published by American Bar Association. Section of Family Law
KF 535 .S85 2019
The Texas Access to Justice Commission has designated the week of November 10-16 as Texas Veterans Legal Aid Week. Here at the Harris County Law Library, November is Veterans Law Resource Month, and we are featuring titles to help veterans. One such title is The Military Divorce Handbook: A Practical Guide to Representing Military Personnel and Their Families.
There is no such thing as a cookie-cutter divorce. Elements may be the same, but each case is unique and each is fraught with its own circumstances and situations. Divorce can be especially problematic and difficult when one or both spouses are active military personnel. Issues such as custody and visitation may not be as clear-cut and easily resolved as those involving civilians. To offer some guidance in this matter, attorney Mark E. Sullivan has written The Military Divorce Handbook: A Practical Guide to Representing Military Personnel and Their Families. This two-volume set begins with a discussion of service of process and its two main concerns: how can one locate someone serving in the military and how can one serve him? The author explains how the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protects parties who are in the military and how it can affect the timing of lawsuits brought against military personnel. He addresses the unique issues surrounding custody and visitation, especially as it affects cases in which the military parent is mobilized or deployed. Family support and enforcement of that obligation may take on an added dimension in cases involving military families due to the Uniform Code of Military Justice and other military support rules. Sullivan also talks about divorce and what is considered domicile for purposes of filing for divorce. Another area that requires some discussion is the division of property, which includes military benefits and pensions. Sadly, the military does not afford protection from domestic abuse, so the author includes a chapter about this issue as well.
If you are looking for a fairly comprehensive guide to representing military personnel in a divorce matter, have a look at The Military Divorce Handbook. The appendices after each chapter are especially helpful with extra resources. Moreover, there are practice tips peppered throughout the book.
