Texas Divorce Attorney Blog

Legal Description of Property Controls Over Address in Texas Husband’s Quitclaim Deed to Wife

Published on: June 21, 2023 | by Kate Mataya

When one spouse transfers property to the other spouse by deed, there is a rebuttable presumption the property was gifted to the other spouse as separate property. A deed must contain a sufficient description of the property. In some cases, there may be mistakes or conflicting information in the deed. When a court interprets a deed, it must determine the parties’ intent as expressed in the deed. A wife recently challenged a court’s interpretation of a quitclaim deed and the resulting characterization of the property based on a deed that stated the address for one tract of land but the legal description of another.

The husband bought a house and 23 acres and paid off the mortgage before the marriage. He also sold two of those acres and a mobile home before the marriage. The parties lived in the house on the 21-acre lot after the marriage. They subsequently bought back the two-acre tract and the mobile home.

Quitclaim Deed

Before he petitioned for divorce, the husband signed a quitclaim deed that stated the address of the 21-acre tract, but the legal description of the two-acre tract. The quitclaim deed described the property as 2 acres and identified the make, model, and serial number of the mobile home. The wife asked the court to characterize the 21 acres and house as her separate property based on the quitclaim deed. She argued the deed conveyed the house and 21 acres to her, but the husband contended that it referred to the two-acre tract and mobile home.

Texas Presumption of Paternity after Termination of Someone Else’s Parental Rights

Published on: June 13, 2023 | by Kate Mataya

Under Texas family law, there are several ways to establish a parent-child relationship between a man and a child, including an unrebutted presumption, an acknowledgement of paternity, adjudication of paternity, adoption, or the man consenting to assisted reproduction resulting in the birth of a child. A mother recently challenged her former husband’s standing to bring a Suit Affecting the Parent Child Relationship (“SAPCR”) and the trial court’s adjudication of him as the child’s father.

The mother gave birth to the child, identified as “Luke” in the appeals court’s opinion, a month after her marriage to “Justin.” The mother identified another man as the child’s biological father and Justin admitted he was not the child’s biological father.

According to the opinion, the other man’s parental rights were terminated in September 2011 pursuant to an “Order of Termination.”

Justin lived with the child and held himself out to be the child’s father. The mother gave birth to a daughter, identified in the opinion as “Gracie,” in August 2012. Continue Reading ›

Texas Wife Not Awarded Disproportionate Property Division Despite Allegations of Cruelty and Infidelity

Published on: June 6, 2023 | by Kelly McClure

A court’s division of property in a Texas divorce must be just and right. A just and right division does not have to be equal and may be disproportionate in some circumstances, including fault such as adultery or cruelty. A wife recently challenged a property division in which the trial court did not award her a disproportionate share of the community estate in light of her allegations of adultery and cruelty.

Alleged Cruelty and Infidelity

The wife testified the husband had multiple affairs during the marriage, according to the appeals court’s opinion. She also testified he had physically abused her. She said he had beaten her after she had surgery, resulting in her stitches breaking open. She further testified that he started hitting her again when she came home from the doctor and she got a kitchen knife to defend herself. She said she held the knife in front of her and “just the point of the knife” cut the husband when he got in her face, but she did not deliberately stab him. She testified the injury only needed a bandage, but the husband went to the doctor so he could later use it against her.

She testified she did not have any documentation of the husband’s alleged affairs. She also did not offer any documentation of her alleged injuries.

Texas Grandmother Awarded Custody

Published on: May 30, 2023 | by Kelly McClure

Texas family law only allows non-parents to seek custody of children if they meet certain statutory requirements. For example, a grandparent or certain other relatives may petition for managing conservatorship if doing so is necessary because the child’s present circumstances at the time suit was filed would significantly impair their health or emotional development. Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 102.004(a)(1).

The parents had an on-and-off relationship for several years, according to the appeals court’s opinion. Both parents and the maternal grandmother had lived in Colorado. The mother, who was pregnant with their second child, moved to Texas in late 2017 with the older child. The grandmother followed in 2018. The father remained in Colorado.

The mother was killed in a car accident in May 2019. The father filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus, alleging the grandmother was illegally holding them. His petition was denied.

Texas Court Characterizes Property Conveyed by Husband’s Parents as Community Property

Published on: May 28, 2023 | by Kelly McClure

In a Texas divorce, there is a presumption that property possessed by either party during or on dissolution is community property. Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 3.003(a). Property’s characterization is determined by inception of its title. In a recent case, a husband challenged a trial court’s characterization of property conveyed by his parents.

Conveyance of the Property

According to the appeals court’s opinion, the husband acquired the property from his parents during the marriage. The deed was labeled a warranty deed. It identified the parents as the grantors and the husband, “A MARRIED PERSON,” as the grantee. It stated consideration of $10 and “other good and valuable consideration.” It also stated the grantor “grants, sells, and conveys to Grantee the property.” A corrected deed was filed in 2015 changing the legal description.

The wife testified the husband’s parents were paid $1,750 for the property from a joint bank account. The husband and his father each testified that just $10 was paid as consideration for the property. Both spouses were listed on the construction loan application for building the home on the property. That application indicated the title would be held “Jointly with Spouse.”

Texas Stepfather Has Standing to Seek Custody after Mother’s Death

Published on: May 25, 2023 | by Kelly McClure

iStock-1147846829-300x200 Non-parents have limited rights in seeking Texas custody or visitation. In some circumstances, however, stepparents actively parent their stepchildren. In a recent case, a stepfather challenged a court order awarding custody of his stepchild to the child’s maternal grandparents after the death of the mother.

Relationship with the Mother

According to the appeals court’s opinion, the mother was pregnant when she started dating and eventually moved in with the stepfather in 2006. The stepfather was present for the child’s birth in 2007 and acted as a father figure to the child. The mother filed an Original Petition in Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (“SAPCR”) soon after the birth. The stepfather was not a party to the case.

The mother married stepfather in July 2007. The stepfather treated the child as his son and was the only father figure in the child’s life. The mother and stepfather had a biological child together in 2010.

Texas Appeals Court Upholds Divorce Decree Following Arbitration Award

Published on: May 23, 2023 | by Francesca Blackard

iStock-1287431987-300x200 Parties to a Texas divorce may choose to pursue alternative dispute resolution to avoid litigation. They may resolve part or all of their disputes through mediation. A mediated settlement agreement (“MSA”) is binging on both parties if it prominently states that it is not subject to revocation, is signed by both parties, and is signed by the party’s attorney, if present. Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 6.602. In some cases, an MSA may include an arbitration provision, requiring the parties to arbitrate disputes arising from the MSA. A wife recently appealed the divorce decree, arguing it did not comply with the parties’ MSA and that the judgment based on the arbitrator’s award should be overturned.

Mediation and Arbitration

The husband and wife entered into a mediated settlement agreement (“MSA”), agreeing to use a specific realtor to sell their properties. According to the appeals court’s opinion, the husband obtained a new realter after the wife informed him the chosen realtor “declined” to sell their properties. That realtor found errors in the deed and recommended referred them to real estate attorneys.

The parties did not agree on which realtor to use or if they should have the documents corrected by an attorney. Arbitration had been scheduled, with the arbitrator being the same person who had served as the parties’ mediator. The wife obtained new counsel, who objected to the arbitrator due to concerns about impartiality. He also expressed an intention to move for a new trial or set aside the MSA. He alleged the husband’s attorney failed to disclose a working relationship with the mediator before the mediation occurred. However, there were emails showing the husband’s attorney had disclosed to the wife’s previous attorney that she previously had been an intern with the mediator and the wife’s attorney had no objection to the mediator. Additionally, she disclosed the same information to the wife’s second counsel by phone, and the mediator stated before the mediation started that the husband’s attorney had been an intern, and there were no objections.

Texas Appeals Court Reverses Spousal Maintenance Award Due to Lack of Evidence of Expenses

Published on: May 21, 2023 | by Francesca Blackard

A Texas divorce case can become more complicated for spouses with a child with complex medical needs. In addition to addressing issues related to custody and decision-making, the divorce may also have to address spousal maintenance for the child’s primary caregiver. In a recent case, a husband appealed an unequal property division and a spousal maintenance award in favor of the wife, who acted as primary caregiver for the children.

According to the appeals court’s opinion, the parties had preterm triplets, one of whom was a “medically fragile child,” “Andy.” The wife stopped working outside the home and became their primary caregiver.

The husband filed for divorce in 2019. The wife subsequently negotiated a job with the non-profit she co-founded.

House Bought Before Marriage Declared Both Parties’ Separate Property in Texas Divorce

Published on: May 21, 2023 | by Kelly McClure

Atlanta-Property-Division-Attorneys-2-300x198 Pursuant to the Inception of Title doctrine, a property’s character is determined when the party acquires their interest in it. This means that property acquired before the marriage will generally be characterized as that spouse’s separate property in a Texas divorce. In a recent case, however, the court determined that a house purchased solely in the name of the husband before the marriage was the separate property of both spouses.

According to the appeals court’s opinion, the parties started dating in late 1999. The wife moved in with the husband and his grandfather in 2003 or 2004. The husband bought a house from the wife’s parents in 2004 as “a single man,” according to the Deed of Trust and Note and both parties moved into it. They deposited their paychecks into a joint account from which the mortgage and property taxes were paid. They got married in July 2005 and lived together in the house until 2020.

Divorce Trial

The wife petitioned for divorce and ultimately requested reimbursement to the community estate. She asked for 50% of the community estate and 50% of the husband’s separate property. She argued the house was both parties’ separate property because they had lived together and both paid for it. The husband argued it should be his separate property.

Characterization of Personal Injury Recovery in Texas Divorce Cases

Published on: May 19, 2023 | by Francesca Blackard

iStock-178756342-300x199 Under Texas family law, property acquired by a spouse during the marriage is community property, unless it meets the requirements of separate property. Pursuant to Tex. Fam. Code § 3.001, personal injury recoveries are the separate property of the injured spouse, but recovery for lost earning capacity is community property. Property possessed by a spouse during or on dissolution is presumed to be community property, so a spouse claiming a personal injury recovery is their separate property must prove by clear and convincing evidence what portion is separate. A wife recently challenged the property division in her Texas divorce after the court concluded monthly payments from a personal injury settlement were the husband’s separate property.

According to the appeals court’s opinion, the wife had primarily been a homemaker during the marriage, but she sometimes worked part-time.

The husband was seriously injured at work in 2006. He was found to be incapacitated and the wife acted as his guardian in the resulting lawsuit. In the personal injury settlement agreement, the wife agreed, on behalf of her husband and herself, to release all claims against the defendants. The defendants’ insurance companies agreed to immediate cash payments and monthly payments for the rest of the husband’s life. The settlement provided that $1,150,000 of the cash payments was for the husband’s benefit and $50,000 would go to the wife. The settlement agreement also stated the monthly payments were for the husband’s benefit. The monthly payments were secured through the purchase of an annuity pursuant to the settlement agreement. The agreement also stated that funds were “damages on account of personal physical injuries or sickness” pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. It also provided that the husband and wife were responsible for paying their attorney’s fees, court costs and case expenses, and any medical bills and liens.