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We are a full-service firm with over 19 years of extensive experience in complex family law litigation, jury trials, appeals, and more.
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Family law matters can be challenging and involve significant emotional and economic uncertainty. With a courteous, confident, and professional approach, we’re ready to help you through this difficult time as efficiently and effectively as possible. Receive an accurate and honest assessment of your case, a clear plan of action to get you what you deserve, and a lasting appreciation for a law firm that’s dedicated to you—every step of the way.
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Family Matters.
Family law is an evolving legal practice area that is influenced by statutory changes, appellate case law, accounting standards, and even social sciences. We regularly comment on the latest rulings, news and developments in our Family Matters blog.
Practice Areas
From the wide-ranging issues of divorce to the delicate nature of child support and child custody, McFarland Law Firm, P.C. focuses on a variety of issues and cases dealing directly and indirectly with matters of family law.
Child Custody
Child custody may be initially rendered in a Divorce or a Suit to Establish the Parent Child-Relationship, which is a custody case between unmarried parties.
Child Support
A child support order may be initially rendered in a Divorce or a Suit to Establish the Parent-Child Relationship, which is a custody case between unmarried parties.
Spousal Support
Spousal support may be awarded in cases where the parties have been married more than 10 years or a spouse has been convicted of or received deferred adjudication for a crime of family violence.
Grandparent Visitation
Grandparents have the right to file a lawsuit for visitation and managing conservatorship of a grandchild in certain circumstances OR if both parents consent to the grandparent filing a suit.
Domestic Violence
The Texas Family Code has special provisions for relationships where domestic abuse has occurred or is alleged.
Modifications
Parents have a right to have their prior custody and child support orders reviewed when there has been a change in circumstances.
Interstate Issues
When a child custody case involves individuals in different states, the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) determines jurisdiction.
Hague Convention
International child abduction and child custody is governed by the international treaty of the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction.
Enforcement
If a parent has not complied with an order for possession and access to a child or an obligation to pay child support, and that parent does not have a valid defense, then the Court may fine or jail a non-compliant parent.
Family Matters
Latest rulings, news and developments from R. Shane McFarland and industry-wide experts.
Clarifying a Divorce Decree & Thinking Twice About that E-mail to the Ex
Here's a case about always proof reading a decree carefully, and not pressing send on ill-advised e-mails. In Gates v. Gates, No. 11-18-00139-CV, 2020 WL 3635241 (Tex. App.—Eastland 2020, no pet. h.) (mem. op.) (06-30-20), a decree was entered years earlier which...
Spousal Support and Disability
The Texas Family Code allows for a Court to award spousal support (also known as maintenance) based on the disability of a spouse. Disability is not explicitly defined and based on our experience often subjective. The Fort Worth Court of Appeal rendered an opinion...
Uniform Travis County Zoom Procedures
Good News. Since the Court’s began remote hearings for divorce and child custody hearings each District Court and the Associate Judge’s Court had differing remote procedures. Since lawyers were often not receiving notice of which Court a case was assigned to until...