As I am sitting here today in Mediation it got me to thinking about what a large role it plays in the domestic or family law litigation. About 30 years ago the legislature passed a law encouraging the use of alternative dispute resolution methods in … [Read more...]
Imperfection – The Art of Drafting an Estate Plan
Often when I speak to a group about our practice, I claim that we draft imperfect estate plans. This may not sound like a good marketing plan, but it is the truth. We don’t set out to be imperfect or incomplete. It is not that our analysis or … [Read more...]
Study Reveals Positive Effect of Legal Representation at Social Security Hearings
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study of hearings-level award rates for disability claims revealed that "claimants who had representation at their hearings, were awarded benefits at a rate nearly 3 times higher than those who proceeded … [Read more...]
Spring Break Safety Tips
Reducing the Risk of Injury on a Road Trip You’ve been hitting the books pretty hard and you’re ready for a break. And even though the days are starting to get longer, you’ve still got a good case of cabin fever. But spring break is just around … [Read more...]
Affect of the Government Shut Down on Social Security and Disability Benefits
As congress and the President continue to debate the federal budget and as the government shutdown enters it second month, many clients have questions on how this will impact their social security payments or pending applications. The good news is … [Read more...]
The 2018 Federal Tax Law Changes You Need to Know
Last year, President Trump signed a new tax-reform bill into law. This new law can have a substantial impact on individual taxpayers starting with the tax year 2018, for which returns are due to be filed by April 15, 2019. Some of the provisions that … [Read more...]
Do You Lose Rights When Convicted of a Felony?
When you’ve been charged with a felony in the state of Texas, one of your concerns may be the ultimate loss of some of the basic rights of citizenship. You may have heard rumors that such a conviction will cause you to forfeit more than your freedom … [Read more...]
Understanding the Different Types of Child Custody in Texas
"No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session." ~ Mark Twain or Gideon J. Tucker. The Texas legislature meets every two years. Each legislature there are a plethora of bills introduced involving Family Law. … [Read more...]
Disengagement – Part Two
As we discussed in a previous article, several years ago, James Brill authored a piece entitled, “Discouraging Disengagement” for the Texas Bar Journal and shared some important reminders for all of us who plan for the future. Disaffection, … [Read more...]
Family Separation and Criminal Prosecution and Lack of Due Process, Oh My!
Recent images of children caged in holding cells without parents forced the Trump administration to re-think its “Zero Tolerance” policy and family separation policy at the border. The Zero Tolerance policy was implemented in April of 2018 and … [Read more...]
Accidents on Icy Texas Roads – Who Is Responsible?
Protecting Yourself in Texas Winter Weather It’s winter in Texas. While that rarely means snow, it’s not that unusual for motorists in Texas to encounter the challenges of driving on icy roads. Unfortunately, rain can turn to ice in an instant. What … [Read more...]
Partial Government Shutdown as it Affects IRS
The recent partial government shutdown has affected 800,000 government employees. As we enter the tax filing season, many wonder if the IRS is affected and if so, how? The short answer is: The IRS & taxpayers are both affected. The most … [Read more...]
