San Antonio Legal Blog

Could a stepparent adoption be right for your blended family?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

At some point, your stepchild stops being the kid of the person you love and starts being an individual whom you love for their own sake. A parental bond may not develop as quickly as a romantic bond sometimes can, but that doesn't make it any less precious to your new, blended family.

If you embrace and lean into your new parental role, you may find yourself yearning for validation of this relationship and protection for it. As a stepparent, if you divorce your spouse, you will have an uphill battle if you want visitation without the support of the child's biological parent.

Overcoming hardships in a marriage

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Monday, June 29, 2020.

All marriages have struggles and challenges, even if they are not apparent to onlookers. As a spouse in a marriage, you may feel as though you are the only couple who are experiencing hardships because all other couples you know seem to have perfect relationships. The truth is that there is no such thing as a perfect relationship and that all couples must work through tensions at one point or another.

Whether you and your spouse will get stronger as a result of your current struggles will largely depend on the attitude that you and your partner have toward finding a resolution. The following are some tips for proactively overcoming hardships in a marriage.

Are my current life circumstances going to lead to divorce?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Monday, June 1, 2020.

When couples go through intensely stressful times, they may easily be triggered by small things that their partner does. If you are currently going through a stressful period in your life because of circumstances beyond your control, you may have noticed that this has taken a toll on your marriage. You may have found that you have started to have arguments for no reason, or that you have become unnecessarily toxic in your communication toward each other.

Even the strongest relationships go through ups and downs. You should never expect married life to always be like the honeymoon period. The couples who enjoy decades in a happy marriage are simply able to work through the hard times through maturity and good communication. If you are worried that your current life circumstances are going to lead you to filing for a divorce, you should be aware of this and understand the most common triggers. The following are some life events that most commonly lead to divorce.

How will your child's special needs impact custody in a divorce?

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Thursday, April 30, 2020.

Contested custody situations are never easy, but when your family has a child with special needs, your family's requirements may become far more intensive and specific. Managing a divorce and attempting to protect yourself while also trying to keep life as stable as possible for a child with special needs can require significant effort and planning.

Although you and your ex may not see eye-to-eye on many issues, hopefully, you can agree that minimizing disruptions for your child will be the best approach as you head through a divorce. There will be special circumstances that your family needs to address that other families may not have to consider during a divorce.

In the military? Set up your estate plan before you deploy

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Thursday, April 2, 2020.

Many people believe that estate planning is only for the elderly. As you get ready for deployment, you know that isn't the case. Though you are older and have a family, you haven't yet put together an estate plan. As you look to the future, you've realized that having one is essential, especially if you find yourself in danger while in the military.

You want to know that your family will be taken care of and that your estate is prepared. The last thing you want is for your grieving family to have to go through a tedious probate process or not know your wishes.

Review your prenuptial agreement for errors before divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Monday, March 2, 2020.

When a couple who has a prenuptial agreement chooses to divorce, they may have a simpler, less contentious experience than couples without a prenuptial agreement. Unfortunately, a prenuptial agreement that contains technical errors or legal weaknesses can prolong a divorce, especially if one spouse or the other decides to challenge the agreement.

If you have a prenuptial agreement and believe that divorce is in your future, now is the time to review the agreement. Ideally, an agreement created with careful attention to detail will keep your rights and priorities protected throughout the divorce process. However, you may find errors or weaknesses in your agreement as you review it, giving you key insights as you build your divorce strategy.

The role of adultery allegations in a Texas military divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Tuesday, January 28, 2020.

In the average Texas divorce, the courts don't pay much attention to allegations of infidelity unless the couple has a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement with clauses that address that specific issue. Marital misconduct should not factor into how the courts divide your assets or how they allocate parenting time.

However, for military service members, adultery is a violation of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). That means that allegations of adultery that surface during your military divorce proceedings could result in a court-martial or similar disciplinary measures that could have a long-term impact on your career trajectory and on the divorce proceedings as well.

Update your estate plan after these major life events

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Friday, January 3, 2020.

When you build an estate plan, it isn't a one-time event. The initial set up helps you get your thoughts in order, but your estate plan may be an ever-growing and changing document.

There are a few times when it's appropriate to update your estate planning documents if you wish to make changes. Here are three of the common times when people may choose to update their estate planning documents (and when you might want to update your own).

Possible outcomes for the marital home in divorce

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Wednesday, December 4, 2019.

For some people who are going through a divorce, the status of the house is the biggest financial decision they have to make. There are a few ways to handle this, so carefully evaluate each option before you decide on what you'd like to do.

If you are going through mediation or another collaborative divorce method, remember that your choice might not align with your ex's. In this case, you'd have to negotiate to come up with terms that are mutually agreeable.

How divorced parents can prevent winter holiday disputes

On behalf of The Law Offices of Jon R. Disrud on Friday, November 1, 2019.

The winter holiday season is a time to celebrate with family, friends and other loved ones. But if you're divorced, it's also a time to create a co-parenting and visitation schedule that works for you, your ex and your children.

There is no surefire way to prevent winter holiday disputes with your ex, but there are some basic tips you can follow to hedge off trouble before it bogs you down during what's supposed to be the best time of the year.