Blog | Law Office of Linda Risinger | Frisco, TX

Can a Non-Biological Parent Get Custody in a Texas Same-Sex Divorce?

2026-09-05 00:00:00

For many same-sex couples, being a parent has little to do with biology. You may have helped raise your child from birth and shared the everyday responsibilities of parenting for years. When a marriage ends, however, many start to worry about whether Texas law recognizes that relationship.

A non-biological parent can seek custody in a Texas same-sex divorce, but legal parentage can make a major difference. If you are concerned about protecting your relationship with your child in 2026, a Frisco, TX family law attorney can explain what rights you may have.

Does Being Married to a Child’s Biological Parent Give Me Custody Rights in Texas?

Marriage to a child's biological parent does not always make you the child's legal parent. This is an important issue during a same-sex divorce when only one spouse has a biological connection to the child.

How Is Child Support Calculated When One Parent Is in the Military?

2026-08-24 00:00:00

With the various stipends, bonuses, and benefits that come with military life, total income can be difficult to calculate. This can lead to uncertainty about how much child support someone will end up paying or receiving.

Military benefits like housing allowances, food allowances, special duty pay, and combat pay can all affect child support. A Collin County, TX child support lawyer can help you understand which parts of military pay might count when child support is calculated in 2026.

What Counts as Income for Military Child Support in Texas?

Texas calculates child support based on the paying parent’s net resources. This usually starts with wages, salary, bonuses, and other income. Certain expenses, such as taxes, social security, union dues, and some health insurance costs, are then deducted under Texas Family Code Section 154.062.

Navigating the Challenges of High-Net-Worth Divorce in Texas

2026-08-11 00:00:00

When two people with successful careers and substantial assets get divorced in Texas, dividing property can become especially complicated. High-net-worth divorces, sometimes called high-asset divorces, require a good understanding of financial valuations and complex property division law. The more assets there are to divide, the more complicated the divorce process can be.

A Denton, TX high-net-worth divorce attorney can help you understand how Texas community property laws may apply to your assets and protect your financial interests during your divorce in 2026.

What Are the Characteristics of a High-Asset Divorce in Texas?

Texas is a community property state. This means that property acquired during the marriage is considered community property. Property owned by either spouse during the marriage is also presumed to be community property unless they can prove it is separate.

What Does the Office of the Attorney General Have to Do With My Child Support Case?

2026-07-23 00:00:00

If you're dealing with a child support matter in Texas, it’s possible you've heard of the Office of the Attorney General, or OAG. In Texas, the OAG manages child support issues for certain cases.

Knowing what the OAG actually does, and doesn't do, can help you navigate your 2026 child support case smoothly. A Frisco, TX child support attorney can explain the role of the OAG in your case and whether you will need your own legal representation.

What Is the Texas Office of the Attorney General's Role in Child Support Cases?

The OAG runs the state's Title IV-D child support program (Texas Family Code Chapter 231). This program exists to help establish, collect, and enforce child support on behalf of the state.

Does Texas Recognize Common Law Marriages for Same-Sex Couples?

2026-07-15 00:00:00

Texas is one of the few states that continues to recognize common law marriages, including for same-sex couples. Since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, Texas has recognized the same marriage rights for same-sex couples as for opposite-sex couples.

If you and your partner have been living together as a couple in 2026 and want to know whether Texas considers you legally married, a Denton County, TX family law attorney can help.

What Requirements Must a Same-Sex Couple Meet for a Texas Common-Law Marriage?

Texas Family Code § 2.401 outlines two ways for a couple to establish a common-law marriage. They can sign and file a Declaration of Informal Marriage with the county clerk. Both people must sign.

Can I Move Out of Texas With My Child After Divorce?

2026-06-26 00:00:00

Parents who are divorced or who have never been married may no longer have to live together, but they will have to deal with a complex set of laws detailing their shared responsibilities toward their minor children. When both parents share custody (known as "conservatorship" in Texas) and one parent wants to move and take their child with them, the parent who wants to move cannot simply make this decision on their own.

If you would like to relocate with your child, or if your co-parent wants to move and you object to the move, read on and then contact Frisco, TX family law attorney who can help you with your case.

Showing the Move is In the Best Interests of the Child

The primary concern of Texas family law courts is ensuring the best interests of the child are understood and protected. Generally speaking, a child is understood to benefit most when both parents are involved in her life; to this end, when parents share conservatorship, one parent cannot move with the child without getting the consent of the other parent or the court.

Which State Has Jurisdiction Over My Military Divorce?

2026-06-12 00:00:00

If you're going through a military divorce, the state that has jurisdiction over your divorce is usually one of three possibilities. The divorce may be filed in the state where the service member is legally domiciled (their permanent residence) or the state where the civilian spouse lives. It may also be filed in the state where the service member is currently stationed if they meet residency requirements.

You and your spouse often have a choice on where to file. Which option you pick can shape everything from property division to how a military pension is split. If you're facing a military divorce in 2026, a Frisco, TX military divorce lawyer can help you decide where it makes the most sense to file.

How Do Courts Decide Which State Hears a Military Divorce?

Jurisdiction in a divorce is typically governed by residency and domicile. Military life complicates both. Service members move often, and they don't always live in the state they legally call home.

How Long Will Child Support Payments Last in Texas?

2026-05-28 00:00:00

In Texas, child support typically ends when a child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever happens later. But this rule comes with important exceptions. The actual end date of court-ordered child support depends on your child's specific situation.

Whether you're the parent paying support or the one receiving it, knowing your child support situation is important for your financial planning. If you have questions about your pending order in 2026, a Denton, TX child support attorney can help you.

When Can Texas Child Support Last Go Age 18?

According to Texas Family Code § 154, a court can order a parent to continue paying child support for an adult child who has a physical or mental disability that needs substantial outside care. For this to apply, the disability generally must have existed before the child turned 18. The court will look at the type of disability, the child's ability to support themselves, and both parents' financial resources when deciding the amount and duration of support.

Can I Make Emergency Medical Decisions for My Child if My Co-Parent Can't Be Reached?

2026-05-14 00:00:00

Your court custody orders may say that decisions about your child’s medical treatment need to be made with the consent of the child’s other parent. Sometimes, though, things go badly wrong, and decisions need to be made immediately. In these cases, Texas law allows the parent the child is with to make decisions independently of their co-parent.

The situation needs to be a true emergency, not an issue that’s been exaggerated to cut the other parent out of the decision-making process. Our Collin County, TX custody lawyers can help you understand what kinds of circumstances qualify in 2026.

Does Texas Law Give Both Parents the Right to Make Medical Decisions?

Under the Texas Family Code Section 153.073, a parent appointed as a conservator of their child is entitled to make decisions for their child. The specifics of what decisions they can make will be outlined in their court order. If you are appointed a conservator or joint conservator by your court orders, you may be able to make necessary medical decisions for your child. Texas courts generally favor making parents joint conservators of their children.

Is My Spouse Allowed to Post About Our Divorce on Social Media While It's Happening?

2026-04-30 00:00:00

One of the hard parts about divorce is that you don’t get to control what stories your spouse is telling about you or the process. Many spouses post publicly on social media during their divorce proceedings without the consent of their soon-to-be-ex spouse. There are a variety of good reasons this would be upsetting. You don’t want feedback from people who aren’t directly involved. You're worried about the effects it will have on your kids. You don’t want to have the hardest thing in your life made into entertainment for strangers online.

If you’re finding your spouse prone to posting about your 2026 divorce on social media, you may wonder if there's a way you can formally get them to stop. A Denton County divorce lawyer can help you figure out what you can actually do about it.

Can Your Spouse Legally Post About Your Divorce on Social Media?

There's no law in Texas that automatically bars either spouse from posting on social media during a divorce. Freedom of speech is still in play. However, "allowed" and "consequence-free" are two very different things. What your spouse posts can absolutely be used as evidence in your case, and some posts can directly damage their standing with the court.