Friendswood Family Law Lawyer
Your family's needs may change over time, and that may require legal assistance. If you need to retain a lawyer, you probably want to work with someone who is compassionate, understanding and knowledgeable of the law. Family law needs can dramatically affect a family, but at our firm we will act as your advocate, focused on protecting your rights and making your experience working with us a positive one.
The Law Office of Phillip W. Morris is a family-friendly law firm that assists clients in Friendswood, Texas, and throughout Galveston, Brazoria and Harris counties in family law. We are experienced and provide highly personable services for our clients. Contact our Friendswood family law attorney today.
Experienced Family Law Attorney Protecting Your Rights.
At our Texas family law firm, we will work to protect your family's interests by providing you and your family with experienced legal representation that helps minimize the emotions and complications commonly associated with family law matters. Attorney Phillip W. Morris is the founder and principal attorney at our firm, and he has assisted many families with various needs in family law such as :
Divorce
We can draft agreements and assist in the mediation process during the dissolution of a marriage, and we always keep your needs and concerns in the forefront.
PropertyDivision
We will assist in identifying assets, classifying marital property and determining a fair division. We can also help you to protect your assets when you are going through a divorce.
Child Custody and Visitation
We look out for the needs of your family and work to achieve the best custody and child visitation plan that will maximize benefits for your children.
Child Support and Enforcement
We explain the standards in which child support is calculated in Texas and can file petitions to enforce child support orders to get you the child support your child is entitled to.
Adoptions
A knowledgeable and friendly Texas adoption lawyer at our firm can help you navigate through the lengthy and complex adoption process by preparing you for home visits and home studies.
Post-divorce Modifications
When your circumstances change, it may become necessary to modify child custody or child support orders. We can help to make this process go as smoothly as possible.
Contact a Friendswood Divorce Attorney
Do you have questions before you file for divorce? You can contact our Friendswood, Texas, child custody lawyer online or you can call us at 281-992-1600 to schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case. We would be happy to meet with you at your convenience and are available outside normal business hours and on the weekends for consultation services.
Divorce
A divorce can be complicated by many factors: finances, emotions, children and property. That doesn't mean the process of working with an attorney has to be complicated as well. You likely have specific questions and concerns that you want answered, and at our firm, we can get answers for you and make the legal process swift.
At the Law Office of Phillip W. Morris, we aim to minimize complications and use our knowledge of the law to gain the most favorable results for our clients. We are located in Friendswood, Texas, and we provide representation for clients with family law needs throughout Galveston, Brazoria and Harris Counties.
Need a divorce attorney? Galveston County, Texas, lawyer Phillip W. Morris can help. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.
The benefit of working with a small firm is that you will have direct contact with your lawyer, and won't get the runaround from someone else in the office. At our firm, our biggest goal is to help individuals and families get through the legal system with minimal complications and hardships. We do this by taking the time to listen to what our clients have to say and making certain we address their needs and concerns.
If children are involved, they are probably the most important factor in the divorce, and we will assist in establishing a child custody and child support plan that looks out for their best interest.
Our clients are also worried about property division, preservation of assets, 401(k)s and retirement accounts. We recognize these aspects are likely important to you, and we take measures to ensure that they are preserved and protected.
Divorce lawyer Phillip W. Morris takes the time to explain the applicable statutes and legal processes so you know how they apply to your case. As your case evolves, you will stay continually updated, and he will provide solutions that are economical and look out for your best interest.
Mediation in Texas
Mediation is not required in the state of Texas, but most courts require it, and our clients are required to go to mediation. Nearly half of the time our clients are able to reach an agreement by going through mediation, and mediation is often the most economical solution for the dissolution of a marriage. We can guide you through the mediation process and make sure that if an agreement is reached, it looks out for your best interest.
In the event that an agreement cannot be reached through mediation, Mr. Morris will vigorously fight to protect your rights at trial.
To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our Friendswood child custody and support attorney at 281-992-1600. We look forward to hearing from you.
Property Division
Texas is a community property state, which means that most property acquired during marriage belongs to both spouses and must be divided at divorce. In contrast, each spouse gets to keep his or her separate property when the marriage ends.
In the event that an agreement cannot be reached through mediation, Mr. Morris will vigorously fight to protect your rights at trial
Property Division is often a highly misunderstood issue in many divorce actions. Parties may have questions about what constitutes community or separate property or what assets may be divided in the event of a divorce.
We are here to answer all of your questions and guide you through the complex process of property division. We understand Texas property laws and have extensive experience handling divorce cases involving large marital estates and complex property division issues. We are committed to protecting your legal rights and financial security.
Texas is a community property state, which means that any property that was acquired during the marriage is presumptively assumed to be subject to division during a divorce. property that was purchased prior to marriage may be subject to a reimbursement claim to the community and property acquired during marriage may be characterized, in whole or in part, as separate property, depending upon the facts surrounding its acquisition.
Our lawyers are committed to helping you properly identify, characterize and valuate all of your property to ensure that your property settlement is fair. We handle a wide range of complex property division issues, including:
- Division of Real Estate
- Inheritances and Trusts
- Business Ownership and Valuation
- Division of IRAs, Pensions and 401(k)s
- Separate Property Claims
We have extensive experience helping couples come to an agreement about property division issues through negotiation and mediation. If aggressive action is needed to protect your rights and interests, our seasoned trial attorneys will not hesitate to move your case to the courtroom.
Child Custody and Visitation
A divorce can be complicated by many factors: finances, emotions, children and property. That doesn't mean the process of working with an attorney has to be complicated as well. You likely have specific questions and concerns that you want answered, and at our firm, we can get answers for you and make the legal process swift.
At the Law Office of Phillip W. Morris, we aim to minimize complications and use our knowledge of the law to gain the most favorable results for our clients. We are located in Friendswood, Texas, and we provide representation for clients with family law needs throughout Galveston, Brazoria and Harris Counties.
Need a divorce attorney? Galveston County, Texas, lawyer Philip Morris can help. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.
The benefit of working with a small firm is that you will have direct contact with your lawyer, and won't get the runaround from someone else in the office. At our firm, our biggest goal is to help individuals and families get through the legal system with minimal complications and hardships. We do this by taking the time to listen to what our clients have to say and making certain we address their needs and concerns.
If children are involved, they are probably the most important factor in the divorce, and we will assist in establishing a child custody and child support plan that looks out for their best interest.
Our clients are also worried about property division, preservation of assets, 401(k)s and retirement accounts. We recognize these aspects are likely important to you, and we take measures to ensure that they are preserved and protected.
Divorce lawyer Mr. Morris takes the time to explain the applicable statutes and legal processes so you know how they apply to your case. As your case evolves, you will stay continually updated, and he will provide solutions that are economical and look out for your best interest.
Mediation in Texas
Mediation is not required in the state of Texas, but most courts require it, and our clients are required to go to mediation. Nearly half of the time our clients are able to reach an agreement by going through mediation, and mediation is often the most economical solution for the dissolution of a marriage. We can guide you through the mediation process and make sure that if an agreement is reached, it looks out for your best interest.
In the event that an agreement cannot be reached through mediation, Mr. Morris will vigorously fight to protect your rights at trial.
To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our Friendswood child custody and support attorney at 281-992-1600. We look forward to hearing from you.
Child Support
Child Support Laws in Texas
The child support laws in Texas are not contingent upon which parent has custody of the children. In fact, the Texas Family Code mostly bases its decision on two things:
- The number of children who need support
- The amount of monthly income
A disgruntled ex-spouse who is frustrated that the custodial parent is withholding visitation cannot stop child support payments out of retribution, either. At its core, child support laws in Texas are intended to protect the rights and needs of the children over the desires of the parents.
In Texas, the State Attorney General oversees a Child Support Division that is committed to enforcing the laws surrounding child support in Texas. Not only does the Attorney General’s Office help establish paternity and enforce child support orders, but it also works to locate absent parents and collect delinquent child support payments.
How Much Do You Pay in Child Support?
Child support is based on the paying parent’s net income and other resources, as follows:
20% of net resources for one child
25% of net resources for two children
30% of net resources for three children
35% of net resources for four children
40% of net resources for five children
To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our Friendswood child custody and support attorney at 281-992-1600. We look forward to hearing from you.
Adoption
Private Adoption
This means that a birth family and prospective adoptive family have come together by means of someone other than an adoption agency. In a private adoption, the prospective adoptive family cannot provide living expenses or pay or promise anything of monetary value other than reasonable counseling/social worker fees, legal fees, and medical expenses to the birth family. If the birth family is in need of financial assistance for things like living expenses, you must involve a licensed agency. An adoption attorney at the Law Office of Phillip W. Morris may be able to help you find an agency to work with should you need one. We also handle private same-sex adoptions in Texas.
Recognition of Foreign Decree of Adoption
Depending on your child’s immigration status when you brought your child to the United States, Texas law provides for you to have your foreign decree of adoption recognized under the laws of the State of Texas. If your child is eligible to be recognized under the laws of the State of Texas without having to do a re-adoption, you can obtain a new birth certificate for your child naming you as the legal parent(s) of the child and changing the child’s name by petitioning the court to issue an order recognizing your foreign decree of adoption.
Adoption Advice
If you are just beginning to look into the process and you don’t know what agency to work with or you don’t understand the contracts you are being asked to sign by the agency, adoption attorney Phillip W. Morris may be able to help you. It is very important that you exercise your own due diligence when selecting an agency to work with. Unfortunately, there are agencies out there that take advantage of prospective adoptive parents and most agencies’ contracts state that once you sign the contract and pay the initial fees to the agency and your money is non-refundable. Therefore, it is extremely important that you fully understand what you are signing. An adoption attorney through our law offices may guide you through the process, from helping you find an agency to finalizing your adoption (depending on the particular circumstances of your adoptive situation).
Finalization of Adoption
Often, families will work with an out of state agency, child protective services, or an agency that is located outside of Southeast Texas. The day that you finalize your adoption is very special. Some families want their close friends and family to attend the court hearing. Depending on the circumstances, an adoption attorney in our office may be able to finalize your adoption in North Texas so that your close friends and family can attend the court hearing.
Birth Parent Representation
Making the decision to place your child for adoption can be difficult, and the representation of an adoption attorney is important. During this emotional process, you will be asked to sign legal documents such as a Voluntary Relinquishment of Parental Rights. It is imperative that you understand the legal consequences of what you’re signing and that you have a confidential forum to ask any legal questions you may have regarding placement of your child.
Post-Divorce Modification
Custody and child support issues are seldom final. As life circumstances change so do issues regarding child custody and child support. Whether you are relocating, have had a career change, would like to change child custody arrangements or need to re-address spousal or child support, the Law Office of Phillip W. Morris can help.
As we work through post-divorce modifications, we diligently strive to protect the best interests of your children. Since this can be a stressful time for everyone involved, taking measures that make this process easiest on your children is paramount.
When the terms of your custody and child support arrangements need to change, we will help guide you through what the courts will expect of you, help you get necessary documents in order and make sure you understand the potential consequences of certain action's whether it's changing custody arrangements or modifying child support in Texas.
To schedule a free initial consultation, contact our Friendswood child custody and support attorney at 281-992-1600. We look forward to hearing from you.
Find Us
211 East Parkwood Avenue,
Suite 104 Friendswood, Texas 77546.