Full-Service Family Law Firm
Divorce
Divorce in Texas can be based on no-fault or fault-based grounds, and the divorce may be contested or uncontested. Lazar Law provides effective assistance and support in all types of divorces and offers the right kind of representation to meet your needs and your specific situation. Whether your divorce can be resolved by negotiating a settlement agreement through mediation or collaborative law, or whether you need an attorney who can fight for you in court, we have the experience, expertise and temperament to deliver excellent results.
Custody
Texas child custody law covers a bewildering array of legal terms and situations, like conservatorship, possession and access and child and medical support. You want to be sure that you play a significant and meaningful role in your child’s life, and that the right decisions are made regarding their care and upbringing. We fight for you in custody and visitation matters. Our Austin custody lawyers are your effective advocates in negotiations and a strong voice for you in court as well.
Jodi and her team were beyond thorough, respectful, and diligent. Let alone being a complete joy to work with, Jodi and the team really had my best interests at heart and it showed with every step they made. I owe my future to them and would recommend working with Lazar law to anyone.
– Frances G.
Special Needs Children
Any parent raising children with special needs knows the unique blend of challenges and joys these most precious gifts bring. Sadly, the difficulty and expense of raising special needs children equate to a higher rate of divorce. Lazar Law can guide you through the most important matters to consider when your divorce includes children with special needs.
Marital Agreements
Prenuptial or premarital agreements can help you start your marriage off on a firm foundation, with a full understanding of family finances and knowing you will be taken care of and not taken advantage of should the status of the marriage later change. If you’re already married, a post-marital agreement can provide that same level of comfort and security. Whether you’ve been married before or have children from a previous relationship to consider, or you’re entering a marriage with a partner from disparate economic situations, we’ll look out for you with advice and representation in negotiating, drafting or reviewing all manner of marital agreements, including cohabitation agreements as well.
Paternity
If a couple is married when a child is born, the husband is presumed to be the father. If they are unmarried, the child has no legal father unless and until steps are taken such as filing an acknowledgment of paternity or obtaining a court order. This process may involve DNA testing, or other evidence may be introduced to prove a certain person is or is not the child’s biological child.
Establishing paternity is necessary for child support, custody and visitation. Only a child’s legal father has a legal right to custody or visitation or the ability to access school and medical records. Without legal status as the father, an individual has no right to prevent the adoption of the child by another or act in any way toward the child in a legal relationship.
Establishing paternity is also essential before a father can be held legally responsible to pay child support.
Parentage can be important for a number of other reasons as well, including giving the child the father’s name and establishing rights to inheritance, medical benefits, Social Security, and veterans benefits as a dependent of the father. Establishing paternity can also strengthen the emotional bond between parent and child and reinforce the child’s sense of identity and connection to his or her family.
We represent mothers, fathers, and other interested parties in paternity proceedings throughout greater Austin, including Travis, Hays, Bastrop, Caldwell, and Williamson County courts.
Grandparents’ Rights
When parents cut off access to their children by the grandparents, courts can be left with the difficult task of balancing the parents’ rights to raise their children as they see fit with the important role grandparents can play in their grandchildren’s lives. Texas family law allows grandparents to seek a court order for visitation when they can demonstrate it is in the children’s best interest and one of the following applies:
- The parents are divorced
- A child has been abused or neglected by the parent
- Parent is incarcerated
- Parent is deceased
- The parent has been declared incompetent
- Parental rights have been terminated by the state
- The children have lived with their grandparents for six months
With appropriate cases, the grandparents may be able to go beyond visitation and seek custody of their grandchildren. Texas courts have held that grandparents have the standing to participate in a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR). Lazar Law can help you asserts your rights as a parent or grandparent in a visitation or custody case.
Same-Sex Family Law
Travis County has long been an active participant in the same-sex marriage debate, even years before the Supreme Court declared in 2015 that same-sex marriage is a legal, fundamental right everywhere in the country. Despite this legal shift, LGBT individuals and same-sex couples still face unique issues and distinct hurdles across the spectrum of Texas family law, including areas such as child custody, adoption, gestational agreements and surrogacy, separation, and divorce. Lazar Law can help you understand and navigate these complex areas of the law and help you exercise your family law rights.
Temporary Orders
It can take months or longer to finalize a divorce in Texas. While the divorce is pending, you’ll need temporary orders in place regarding child support, spousal maintenance, child custody and visitation, who gets to stay in the family home, and a myriad of other matters. These temporary orders are important for the present and can also affect how final decisions are made in the divorce. Our Austin divorce lawyers are with you from the very start, including seeking or opposing temporary orders as needed, and we’ll work to see that your rights and interests are protected in any proceedings for temporary orders.
Interstate Proceedings
It is not uncommon for former spouses to live in different states post-divorce, even when they share children together. Issues regarding custody, visitation, alimony, and other matters become more complicated when the parties cross state lines, but these challenges are far from insurmountable. Our experienced family law attorneys have the knowledge, skill, and resources to handle interstate proceedings and guide decision-makers to the right result under the laws of Texas, other states, and relevant federal statutes and case law.
