Most people need information and guidance when considering the possibility of divorce. Whether a client wants to initiate a separation and divorce, or believes that their spouse intends to do so, it is important to gather information and make plans to transition to a new way of living. Our office offers an initial consultation for a reduced fee of $150. In that consultation we can tell clients what to expect if a divorce is filed. We outline the documents clients need to search for, and the records clients need to keep. We identify potential problems, legal and personal issues, and strategies for dealing with those problems and issues. We help clients formulate a concrete plan for separation, child custody and child support, budgeting, and asset and liability division.

Our office takes pride in the individual attention and counseling we provide to our clients who are going through a divorce. We understand that although we have been helping clients with divorce for over 35 years, most of our clients are going through the divorce process for the first time. Our office works with each client to successfully plan for the various stages of the divorce, from pre divorce planning, and initial separation to final property division, and custody and support resolution. We help our clients plan their budgets, separate their household, gather information necessary to understand the property and debt to be divided. We work with our clients and their personal and financial counselors to make the best possible plans for children and for child support. We do our best to keep communications open with the opposing lawyer and to generate options for resolving conflicts. We have a good track record of resolving cases in mediation or before mediation.

If conflicts cannot be solved out of Court, we have the experience and skill to try a divorce case efficiently and effectively.

Child custody disputes are the most difficult and emotionally wrenching conflicts that clients face. We believe that clients should only fight in Court about children, if no other option will keep the children healthy and safe. Attorney experience and good judgment are particularly important in child custody litigation. Our experience allows us to tell our clients how a Court is likely to analyze their dispute. We are good at generating options to resolve child custody and visitation disputes out of Court.

If custody litigation is necessary to protect the children, we know how to investigate and prepare a case to effectively demonstrate to a Court how our child custody plan is best for the children.

Child custody litigation is expensive because it takes a great deal of attorney and paralegal time. To properly investigate and prepare a case for trial, we interview witnesses, work with children's mental health counselors, and help our clients make positive plans for their children. We work with our clients and their counselors to be sure that our clients are acting in the children's best interest as the case proceeds.

We help our client budget and formulate a child support plan that meets the needs of the children and fits the financial circumstances of the family. Cicily Simms served on the 1984 Texas Senate Blue Ribbon panel that recommended child support guidelines to the Texas legislature. Child support cases involve organizing and analyzing detailed facts and testimony into a short and efficient presentation to the Court or in mediation. Our office is experienced in the effective representation on the child support issues.

People change. Circumstances change. Children's needs change as they grow older. Our office knows how to investigate and develop the evidence and testimony to demonstrate how circumstances have changed since the last Court order. We are good at presenting new workable plans to modify child custody, possession periods, visitation and child support orders.

We can help our clients find the best way to enforce existing court orders, or to modify or clarify orders if they have become unworkable.

Our law offices are experienced in establishing and enforcing parent/child relationships where unmarried partners have children.