El Paso Family Law Attorney

Legal Representation That You Can Trust

For most people, the only contact you may have with the court system is in a divorce or child custody case. These cases are always mixed up with emotions and hurt feelings. You will hear friends and family throw around words like custody, community property, and visitation. You’ll do internet research that only brings up more questions than answers. What does it all mean and who will decide?

The Texas Family Code is complex and imperfect. Nevertheless, these laws and a Judge will have a great impact on your life long after the dust has settled on your case. Family law is a very local practice. It is my belief that 80% of what a divorce lawyer is for is knowing what a judge will do in a given set of circumstances. Judges work hard to be consistent in their rulings. And while your case is unique to you, the facts and circumstances are often very similar to those that the court has heard countless times before. This is why experience before the courts is critical. I have over two decades of experience in the family courts of El Paso.

Consultation fees do apply to family law cases. Military personnel and their spouses receive a 50% discount on all family law consultations. Please call or e-mail to inquire as to the cost of a consultation. You will meet with me personally, not a legal assistant or paralegal.

I offer representation in all areas of Texas family law:

• Divorce, including the division of complex assets and liabilities. These may include the division of the marital home, automobiles, retirement plans, investments, time shares, savings accounts, debts, and other property accumulated during the marriage.
• Military retirement, legal services also include the proper division of military retirement which is unlike the division of any private or civilian pension, 401k, or retirement plan. I often provide my services to other lawyers in the proper calculation of military retirement and the documentation to establish its enforcement and recognition by the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS).
• Child custody, also called the Suit Affecting the Parent Child Relationship (SAPCR).
• Child support, including cases against the Texas Attorney General.
• Modification of prior court orders, including visitation and access, child support review and modification, and health insurance for the children.
• Enforcement of prior orders, including transfer and recognition of other than Texas orders.

Military Divorce

As if divorce isn't stressful enough, the ending of a military marriage can only add to the impact. It's likely that you are only in Texas because of your spouse's service obligation, and you are far from family support systems or even just someone in which to confide. Because of my prior active duty experience (including deployments to Europe and the Middle East), I understand the unique challenges and pressure facing a military family and the impact divorce will have not only on the division of property, but also any children involved.

As a former active duty soldier with a family, I understand what you are going through. My philosophy is to arm you with information so that you are in charge of your case and able to make rational and practical decisions. It is my belief that in most family law cases, the lawyer's job is to simply know what your judge is likely to do given a certain set of facts and circumstances. Armed with this knowledge, you can make a real and practical decision on whether to settle or fight.

Enforcements and Modifications:

Divorce decrees and Court Orders are not written in stone and life marches on. A family’s circumstances will change over time, children get older and their needs may change. Sometimes a modification of an order that is simply not workable anymore is necessary.

Additionally, there may be times when one party is not living up to their part of the order of the court. This can be a failure to pay child support, provide health insurance, pay spousal support (alimony) or begin payment on a military retirement order. All of these things can be enforced with a petition to the court. So if you feel like your court orders need a modification to account for changing times or your Ex is not living up to their part of the court orders contact me to discuss your options.

Clarification and Enforcement of Military Retirement Orders, Thrift Savings Plans and other Military Benefits:

Many times people have had lawyers draft orders dividing military retirement. What their lawyers did not understand is that not just any language will do in dividing military retirement. There are specific provisions, particular language and information that must be contained in an order dividing military retirement. As a Retired Army Judge Advocate (Army Lawyer) I have extensive experience in drafting military retirement orders, clarifying military retirement orders and appealing erroneous military retirement orders and divisions. In fact, other lawyers call on me to assist them in drafting military retirement orders that will not only be enforceable before a divorce court but acceptable to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) if necessary.

If you have doubts about your military retirement order or if your retired Ex-Spouse has failed to pay you what you are owed. Call me so we can discuss your options and what can be done.

What Are “Limited Scope” also known as Unbundled Legal Services?

“Limited scope representation” or “unbundled legal services” is hiring an attorney to provide specific services to a client in a legal matter. For example, a divorce where the couple has been married only a few months and have no children or property between them. Maybe all you need is to hire a lawyer to draft legal documents like the petition for divorce and the final order of divorce and then ending the lawyer’s representation of that client. The client can then present the final order to the court to be finalized.

This kind of attorney-client relationship allows the client to have maximum control over the cost and outcome of their case while still having the assistance of attorney. This may mean the client handles his or her case as a self-represented or “pro se” litigant.

Examples of services provided under a limited scope or unbundled legal services agreement:

• Document drafting
• Consultation – case evaluation, issue spotting and explanation of the law as it relates to your case.
• Preparation for in court presentation
• Discovery – the legal process of exchanging and disclosure of information between the parties.
• Mediation

Not all cases may be right for limited or unbundled services. The Law Office of Leonard Morales provides consultation services to evaluate your case to see if it is right for limited services and which services may be needed.

Why hire a lawyer and ending up paying for hours of time when you can hire a lawyer only for the help you actually need? Save yourself time and money and hire the Law Office of Leonard Morales to assist you with specific services for a fraction of the cost of full service representation.

Contact my firm today. View our firm's profile at FindaFamilyAttorney.com.