Cornett Law Firm

Family Law Attorney

 

Family Law

 

Bill Cornett, at the Cornett Law Firm, has successfully handled hundreds of family law cases including divorces and child custody matters for our clients in the Texas Panhandle.

 

Family Law Practice Areas:

• Divorce Law
• Child Custody
• Child Support
• Premarital Agreements

 

Divorce

Most people do not hire lawyers unless they have a problem they cannot solve by themselves. Usually it is the biggest problem in their life. Divorces, child custody and child support certainly falls into this category. Getting a divorce can be simple, but in most cases it is stressful and complicated. A short-term marriage with no children and where no property was accumulated can be quite basic. Long-term marriages where children are involved and/or where property has been accumulated, on the other hand, require competent legal advice. Even if you and your spouse agree on all issues in the divorce it is always advisable to get sound legal advice before the divorce is granted. Filling in the blank forms, which people try to do themselves, can many times create errors and unintended consequences once the judge grants the divorce and the forms are signed. Bill Cornett will meet with you at no charge for the initial conference, listen to your case, and recommend what needs to be done. He can evaluate the appropriate child support based on the Texas Supreme Court Guidelines. You will learn how possession of minor children is usually handled by the courts and how the courts normally divide community property. How the courts handle retirement funds and separate property will be explained, too. Courts can order temporary hearings to deal with who is allowed to stay in the home, where the children live, how much temporary support will be paid and what orders will be entered prohibiting your spouse from taking certain actions. All of these issues and more are sometimes involved in divorces.

 

Modification of Child Custody

If you are already divorced and possession of children and child support has previously been ordered, a Motion To Modify the previous orders can be filed based on change of circumstances. When a child reaches 12 years of age, a judge may be allowed to speak to a child outside both parents presence. The judge will consider the child’s wishes as to which parent the child should live with primarily. The judge will consider the child’s preference along with other factors when deciding whether to modify the prior possession order.

 

Child Support

If you or your spouse is behind on child support, the judge can enforce a child support order by contempt with probation and or incarnation. Unpaid child support is considered by most judges as contempt of court and will be enforced by the court issuing new orders requiring the unpaid support to get paid and to ensure current support is also paid. It is really better for both parties to bring the unpaid child support to the judge’s attention before the unpaid child support gets to be several months or years old. Many legal methods are available to the judge for enforcing unpaid child support including orders seizing bank accounts, assets, suspending licenses, probation, and incarceration. Most judges want to make sure child support gets paid without unnecessarily punishing the person obligated to pay the support. If the person obligated to pay the support is not trying to get the back support paid, the judge will use a harsh enough penalty to see that the child support does get paid. If the child support previously set is too high or too low based upon change of circumstances, the court can have a new hearing to determine the appropriate amount of child support that should be ordered according to the Supreme Court Guidelines.

 

Bill Cornett is an experienced divorce attorney ready to work tirelessly in efforts to help you obtain your desired results. Whether you are in need of an attorney to assist with child support, child custody, restraining orders or a prenuptial agreement call Bill Cornett at (806) 374 - 9498 for a free initial consultation and find out how we can help you.

 

If you are needing a highly experienced attorney, qualified in all areas of family law call Bill Cornett at  (806) 374 - 9498 for a free consultation. Let the Cornett Law Firm put our experience to work for you.

 

Contact us for an experienced family law attorney in these and other surrounding cities:

Dalhart, Dumas, Stratford, Vega, Hereford, Dimmitt, Canyon, Amarillo, Tulia, Pampa, Childress, Borger, Clarendon, and Perryton.