Post-Divorce Legal Issues
Going through the divorce process is difficult at best, but you did it, and things are finally beginning to settle down. You’ve put divorce issues far behind you, right? Not always. Two common issues that arise after a divorce is final are when an ex doesn’t comply with the divorce stipulations and when one of you wants the child custody arrangements to be modified to better reflect your evolving lives. Both represent serious issues that your experienced divorce attorney will help guide you through.
Your Divorce Decree
Your divorce decree is a legally-binding document, and if your ex isn’t complying—such as by not paying child support, not paying child support on time, or not paying the determined amount of child support—the Texas Attorney General’s Child Support Division will likely become involved in this compliance and enforcement issue. Your divorce attorney can help.
If the issue is, instead, a custody issue or an issue of post-divorce finances, your divorce attorney—in attempt to resolve the issue—will send a letter that outlines the problem to your ex’s attorney. If direct negotiation doesn’t do the trick, your attorney may petition the court for a hearing. Sometimes merely raising the specter of litigation can cause the opposing party to become more amenable to negotiations.
Changes In Custody Arrangements
When you were initially divorced, you lived within a certain set of circumstances, and the custody arrangements you hammered out with your ex fit those circumstances—your children’s ages, your separate living situations, your careers, and your lifestyles—but as your children grow up, and your lives and careers change, so too can your custody-arrangement needs. If you and your ex both agree to such changes, it’s a relatively straightforward process. If, on the other hand, you disagree, some negotiations will need to be hammered out.
The preferred first step is to propose a custody modification that makes sense for all of you at the current time. Again, this can be accomplished with a letter from your divorce attorney to your ex’s lawyer. With a bit of negotiating, you may be able to find a custody schedule that works well for everyone. By negotiating through your attorneys, you ensure that you keep the discourse on topic and that you’re working toward a custody arrangement that better serves not only you and your ex but also your children. Further, attempting to work it out between yourselves and your attorney doesn’t mean that you can’t take the issue before the court if it becomes necessary.
If You’re Facing Post-Divorce Legal Issues, Contact a Richmond, Texas, Divorce Lawyer Today
Sometimes divorced couples face post-divorce legal issues. If your ex isn’t complying with your divorce decree or if your lives have changed and your custody arrangements no longer serve your family’s needs, your skilled divorce attorney can help you effectively and efficiently navigate these issues. Attorney Frank J. Vendt at The Vendt Law Firm, P.L.L.C., in Richmond, Texas, is committed to helping protect your rights through your divorce—and beyond. To schedule a consultation with Mr. Vendt, please contact or call our office at (832) 276-9474 today.
