While ideally, parties to a Texas divorce can resolve matters amicably, some high net worth divorces can lead to years of ongoing litigation. In a recent case, a former husband appealed an order requiring him to pay the former wife $100,000. This appeal was the third appeal arising from the…
A court may grant a Texas divorce based on cruel treatment of one spouse toward the other if it “renders further living together insupportable.” “Cruelty” has been defined in Texas case law as an act endangering or threatening “life, limb or health. . .including. . .any infliction of mental pain…
A settlement agreement in a Texas divorce can allow the parties an amicable resolution, avoiding lengthy and contentious litigation. In some cases, however, a party may wish to repudiate the agreement or revoke their consent to the agreement. A party may revoke consent to an agreement before rendition of the…
The purpose of Texas spousal maintenance is to give temporary support to a spouse whose ability to provide for their own needs has been diminished and who does not have sufficient assets to support themselves. Spousal maintenance may be ordered if the spouse meets certain statutory criteria. For a marriage…
Property divisions in Texas divorces are intended to be final. Although a party may appeal or seek to enforce a property division, they generally cannot relitigate it in a separate lawsuit. Sometimes, however, the divorce decree does not adjudicate all of the parties’ property. A former spouse may file suit…
Texas spouses may agree in writing to partition or exchange some or all of their community property between themselves such that the property becomes the separate property of one spouse. A former wife recently challenged her divorce decree, arguing the trial court erred in awarding a reimbursement claim against her,…
Property division in a Texas divorce can be complicated when there is a business involved. In a recent case, a former husband challenged a property division that divided assets belonging to his business entities. According to the appeals court, the husband formed two businesses before the marriage. He said he…
In a Texas divorce, “special community property” is community property that is under the sole management, control, and disposition of one spouse. Tex. Fam. Code § 3.102(a). Although special community property is under the sole management, control, and disposition of one spouse, disposition of that property must be fair to…
Sometimes a party to a Texas divorce may have difficulty collecting what has been awarded to them. Pursuant to the Texas turnover statute, a judgment creditor may ask the court to assist them in reaching the judgment debtor’s non-exempt property. The court is authorized to take a number of actions,…
The Texas Family Code sets out the circumstances under which Texas spousal maintenance may be ordered. The court may order maintenance to a spouse only if they will lack sufficient property after the divorce to provide for their minimum reasonable needs. The spouse must also meet one of three conditions,…