On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in Child Support on Saturday, May 19, 2012
Texas parents who are struggling to pay child support may be interested in a current news story making headlines. Nine parents found themselves behind bars after allegedly failing to pay their required child support. It is believed these parents violated court orders requiring them to support their children financially. Deputies were dispatched to locate parents in violation of their child support court orders and arrest them.
The penalties for failing to pay child support can be severe, and can even result in a sentence of up to six months in jail for being in contempt of court. When a parent is arrested and uses a cash bond to get out of jail, those bonds are paid directly to the parents who are owed the back child support for the benefit of the covered children. Noncustodial parents are typically required to support minor children by making child support payments.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in Child Custody on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Texas parents currently battling with their ex may be interested in a recent story highlighting an unmarried father's successful child custody battle. The man has a reason to rejoice after his long battle appears to be headed in the right direction. After fighting for child custody in two states, the man has finally had his parental rights restored, although the ultimate determination concerning custody has not yet been made.
The man has been fighting for his daughter for more than four years and has only seen her once. After an acrimonious separation between the man and his daughter's mother, she fled to a different state. Once she settled there, the woman allowed her brother to adopt the young girl.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in Child Support on Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Texas parents may be able to commiserate with a child support case currently making headlines. Antonio Cromartie, a start NFL player, is looking at the possibility of an increase in child support after one of his babies' mothers took him back to court. The woman has two children by the football player, a 4-year-old and a 3-year-old, and believes the increase in child support would enable her to take better care of his children.
Although her personal opinion likely will not be considered in any court ruling, the woman believes that with his $32 million contract that he can afford a higher support payment, even after taxes are paid. She is currently a Texas college student who also works as a state employee.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in Child Support on Friday, April 27, 2012
A Texas man is currently experiencing a nightmare involving child support for a child that turned out not to be his biological child. During a separation with his wife in 2006, he became involved with another woman. After a brief affair, the woman said she was pregnant with his child. In January 2012, the man was actually jailed in Tarrant County for owing over $50,000 in child support payments. He has always been adamant that the child was not his and thanks to a new law in Texas, he has been freed from jail.
With the new law, the man was able to take a drugstore paternity test. Once the proper chain of custody for the samples was obtained, he submitted the documentation for consideration. Results showed the man had no probability of being the child's father. Shortly after the results came back, the man was freed from jail.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in High Asset Divorce on Friday, April 20, 2012
Texas parents who decide to split up typically negotiate child custody agreements as part of their divorce proceedings. However, some divorce observers note that there is a lot more to a child custody negotiation than simply deciding who the child will live with for the majority of the time.
One related issue surrounds the question of which parent can claim the child on their income tax returns during and after a divorce. The federal and state tax systems see a child as "belonging" to whichever parent has custody of the child for the majority of the calendar year. This parent is typically considered the custodial parent and the other parent is generally regarded as the non-custodial parent.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in High Asset Divorce on Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Texas residents who follow celebrity culture are likely interested in the divorce of Katy Perry and Russell Brand. The couple's filing shocked and surprised many and ends their marriage once the divorce is finalized on June 30. The property division process of their divorce appears to be going smoothly and the split mostly amicable.
Russell Brand seems to be honoring his promise not to go after Katy Perry's fortune after the most recent property transfer. The actor recently filed a quitclaim deed giving Perry all the rights to the couple's $6.5 million marital residence, which they purchased jointly. The home was built in 1925 and comes with a guesthouse and swimming pool. The house sits on close to three acres, has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms. It also comes with stained glass windows and a carved fireplace mantel.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in High Asset Divorce on Thursday, April 5, 2012
Texas couples navigating a divorce might be interested in a recent news story about the positive effects of good communication. Opening the lines of communication while going through the dissolution process can be a healthy and effective way to deal with all the challenges a divorce can bring. Issues in communicating with partners rank as a top cause in the failure of a marriage in this country, so it makes sense that couples continue to experience difficulties in communication even after the divorce is finalized.
Being divorced obviously does not automatically stop all contact with an ex-spouse, especially when children are involved. This is why positive and open communication is so important. Divorce can bring bitter feelings against each other and an inability to communicate may cause the relationship to deteriorate even further.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in Child Support on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
In Texas, bitterness between exes and battles over child support can continue long after a divorce is finalized. Although supermodel Christie Brinkley and her ex-husband Peter Cook have been divorced since 2008, a notice from Cook's lawyer may find the former couple back in court.
Christie Brinkley is being accused of slandering her ex-husband by referring to him as a "deadbeat dad." The letter from the lawyer comes after Brinkley filed a court motion alleging that her ex owes $32,000 in back child support.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in Property Division on Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wealthy Texas couples going through divorce may be interested in a recent article highlighting the property division process in a bitter divorce. The divorce, involving one of the world's richest men, has turned acrimonious, with the wife accusing him of hiding assets and diverting personal interest in his properties. The Russian man tops Forbes list as number 100 of the richest men and is valued at $9 billion. His wife of 24 years believes that he is intentionally seeking to hide his assets in an effort to reduce his divorce settlement.
Issues surrounding an alleged hiding of marital assets is a common fear in divorce proceedings, particularly for women, and it occurs more frequently than expected. Since the woman filed for divorce in 2009, her estranged husband has spent numerous amounts of money, even spending $95 million on a Palm Beach mansion owned by Donald Trump. He has also invested in a Monaco football club and bought shares in AS Monaco. His wife eventually was able to freeze his assets in Geneva. She is seeking ownership of the Palm Beach property and half of his vast fortune.
On behalf of The Pinak Law Firm, PLLC posted in High Asset Divorce on Tuesday, March 13, 2012
A Texas divorce can often have a significant impact on the couple involved and those close to them. Emotions can become unsettled and fear sometimes replaces trust as a common day-to-day occurrence. However, the process of divorce affects more than just the parties to the proceedings -- it can also negatively affect the workplace and co-workers. Even when divorce appears to be inevitable, making new beginnings and getting off of the emotional rollercoaster that a stressful marriage can bring is an important step to getting one's life back on track.
In North America, it is estimated that 50 percent of marriages end in divorce. Simply by the numbers involved, divorce may ultimately affect a worker's productivity. Estimates place the cost of divorce at approximately $8,300 per worker, assuming the worker was making $19.50 per hour and also estimating a productivity drop of 50 to 75 percent. That estimate also takes into account the days that a worker will miss due to the inevitable scheduling hassles of divorce as well as the financial strain and sometimes accompanying psychological issues.
