Family Law

Whatever shape your family takes, the attorneys at Jorgeson Pittman LLP can help you plan for and protect it. For more than a decade, we have made it a priority to help clients from all walks of life.

Divorce

Whether your divorce is hotly contested or completely amicable, whether you were formally or informally married (often called common-law marriage), whether your divorce involves complex property issues or a simple division of belongings, whether there are issues with post divorce support or you will each go your own separate way, and whether or not you have minor children – each divorce is unique, and each is the most important legal proceeding for our clients.

The attorneys at Jorgeson Pittman LLP have represented individuals in many different life situations, and we put our experience to work for our clients to help them achieve their goals and protect their families through the divorce process.

High Net-Worth / Complex Property Divorce

If you have accumulated substantial assets and properties, or if you have interests in trusts/closely-owned business/family partnerships, a "paint by the numbers" approach to divorce is not for you. We have experience with complex property divisions, and we have relationships with professionals such as forensic accountants, business valuation experts, and other professionals to ensure that you are treated equitably in a difficult time. Schedule a consultation to discuss your options today.

Confirming and Dividing Real Estate

For most of our clients, their real estate is one of their largest assets. There are many different pitfalls and surprises that go into properly characterizing, valuing, financing, and dividing jointly owned real estate. When only one spouse will own a property after a divorce, there are additional considerations and documentation necessary (such as how to buy out the other spouse's equity, ensuring proper deeds and other documents are drafted correctly and filed with the appropriate county, and similar issues).

The attorneys at Jorgeson Pittman LLP have ample experience to ensure that the disposition of your real estate is handled appropriately in your divorce, and we have experience fixing mistakes or oversights that other attorneys may have made when it comes to real estate in a divorce. Contact us to discuss your real property questions today.

Retirement Challenges

Whether you or your spouse have worked for 5 years or 50 years, and whether you have a self-funded retirement or an employer-sponsored plan, making sure that your retirement is protected during a divorce is one of the most important challenges a divorcing couple faces. Over the more than a decade that the Firm has been in existence, we have developed close relationships with many professionals to ensure that our clients' retirement accounts are properly valued, confirmed, and divided during the divorce process. Schedule a consultation to discuss this process today.

Informal (Common-Law) Marriage and Divorce

Texas is one of the few states that recognizes informal or common-law marriages. However, if you are married, even informally, and you want to end your relationship, you must still be divorced. The attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have extensive experience prosecuting and defending common-law marriage claims, for both opposite-sex and same-sex couples. If you think you may be informally married, or if your former romantic partner claims you were informally married, schedule a consultation so that we can help you navigate this unique area of Texas Family Law.

Child Custody and Support

Child Custody and Visitation Orders

Your family is our priority, and nowhere in Family Law is that more true than when we help clients establish or modify court orders involving their children. In Texas, orders relating to children are called "Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship" (or SAPCRs for short), and the attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have been involved in over a thousand such cases over the past decade plus.

Whatever situation your family is facing, it will be easier to face with knowledgeable and compassionate attorneys by your side who can help you achieve your goal of putting your children’s needs first. Let the attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP help you put orders into place that will ensure your children are able to grow into the adults that they deserve to be, while making sure you are able to spend adequate time with your child. Schedule a child custody consultation today.

Child Support and Medical Support

The law in Texas relating to child support and medical support is both nuanced and straightforward. There are guidelines that tell you what to expect generally, but just as you may see a larger tax return if you have your taxes prepared professionally, having an attorney who is familiar with the numerous exceptions and rules regarding child support and medical support (including dental insurance) in Texas can help you maximize your ability to financially support your family.

All of the attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have the familiarity with the law to ensure that you are paying or receiving the proper amount of child support and medical support. Contact us to schedule a consultation today.

Interstate Child Custody and Child Support

Child custody cases and child support cases are complicated when one parent resides in Texas and the other parent and/or the child does not. There are several uniform laws that govern these types of cases, and not every attorney is familiar with these laws. However, the attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have the experience to help you navigate the intricate rules relating to child custody and child support cases when more than one state is involved. Schedule a consultation to discuss your interstate child custody or child support case.

Grandparent and Other Non-Parent Access to Children

If you have a strong relationship with a child that ends due to circumstances outside your control, the loss of that bond can be devastating to you and the child. The law in Texas recognizes that there are certain situations where maintaining your relationship with a child is important to protect that child’s health and wellbeing. If you are a grandparent, aunt, uncle, adult sibling, or a person who wants to continue to play an important role in raising a child, contact the attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP to discuss what legal options you may have.

Modification and Enforcement of Child Custody or Child Support

Change is the only constant in life. If you have a current court order relating to your child that needs to be modified, or if you have an order that one parent is no longer following, you can go ask a court to modify or enforce the prior order. The attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have helped our clients modify and enforce numerous orders in many different counties. If you need to know if your order can be enforced or modified, schedule a meeting with our attorneys to discuss your case.

Adoption and Parentage

Domestic and International Adoption

Many couples and single individuals decide to adopt a child from domestic or international locations. If you are interested in adopting a child, JORGESON PITTMAN LLP can help you understand the legal requirements, the process, and the costs involved. Adoptions are a bright spot in Family Law, and we would love to represent you in this life-changing legal process as we have helped scores of clients before.

In addition, if you adopted a child in a foreign country, it is possible and often times beneficial to register the foreign adoption here in Texas (sometimes referred to as "re-adoption"). The attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP can help you discuss the pros and cons, and help you successfully navigate the process.

CPS/Foster Child Adoption

Many foster parents or family members find themselves with unanswered questions about the possibility of adopting a child placed in their home by CPS. JORGESON PITTMAN LLP has multiple attorneys who have worked with foster parents and family members in this situation numerous times. Contact us if you are an individual or couple interested in adopting a child that is involved in a CPS case in Texas.

Second Parent Adoption

Ensuring that a child has loving parents is one of the most important steps anyone can take to help a child grow and develop into a healthy and well-adjusted adult. The attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have helped numerous married and unmarried LGBT parents across the state complete the second parent adoption process, allowing both parents (whether or not biologically related to the child) to be legal and equal parents under Texas law. Contact us to learn more.

Step Parent Adoption

If you or your spouse have a child from a prior relationship, and you would like the other spouse to legally adopt that child, it may be possible for the step parent to become the legal parent (and even have his or her name added to the child’s birth certificate). If you are interested in step parent adoption, the attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP can discuss your legal options.

Parentage Orders

If a child is born to a woman who is not married, it may be necessary to adjudicate that child's parentage. The attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have experience with both pre-birth and post-birth parentage cases. Contact us to learn more about legally establishing parentage of a child.

In addition, although married same-sex parents are now able to obtain a birth certificate with both parents reflected, a birth certificate is only evidence of parentage. It is possible for same-sex spouses that have a child to obtain judicial recognition of the parentage of the child of their marriage, ensuring that your children are legally protected in the event anything happens to either parent. JORGESON PITTMAN LLP has been a pioneer in this field. If you have questions about this streamlined process for protecting your children, please contact us to set up a consultation.

Prenuptial and Postmarital Property and Cohabitation Agreements

Prenuptial and Postmarital Agreements

Texas law allows those who are married, or who are about to be married, to enter into marital property agreements (often referred to as “pre-nups” or “post-nups”). These agreements are complex legal documents, and all such agreements must meet specific requirements in order to be valid under Texas law. Contact us to better understand the intricacies of marital property agreements in Texas.

Cohabitation Agreements

Unmarried couples may desire to buy real estate or jointly own other assets, but also want to clearly define their legal rights to the property should the relationship end. The attorneys at JORGESON PITTMAN LLP have helped numerous opposite-sex and same-sex couples draft valid and enforceable cohabitation agreements to ensure that both parties' interests are protected. If you would like to learn more about cohabitation agreements, contact us today.

Family Law Services