Posted on May 07, 2025 in Divorce

Building a business with a spouse is a major achievement. If the marriage falls apart, what will happen to the company you poured so much effort into together? In Texas, divorces involving businesses are generally more complex. You have a few options for dividing the company, but first, you need to know the business valuation process, namely, the purpose and methods involved. A Tarrant County, TX business valuation attorney understands the legal process and will ensure that you have a fair share of the investment you made.

Is a Business Considered Community or Separate Property in Texas?

Under the Texas Family Code, property is either categorized as community or separate property during a divorce. Separate property is anything that either spouse owned before the marriage or received as an inheritance or a gift during the marriage. Community property is acquired by either spouse during the marriage and is divided equally in the event of divorce.

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 Posted on April 23, 2025 in Family Law

After a divorce, many people look forward to starting a new chapter in life — including the possibility of remarriage. But Texas law includes specific rules that can affect when and how you can legally remarry. Failing to follow these rules could result in delays, legal complications, or even an annulled marriage.

If you are planning to remarry after a divorce, working with an experienced Texas family law attorney can help you avoid missteps. At Daniel R. Bacalis, P.C., we guide clients through the remarriage process and ensure all requirements are met under the Texas Family Code.

Is There a Waiting Period to Remarry in Texas?

Yes. Under the Texas family code, there is a mandatory 30-day waiting period before you or your ex-spouse can remarry after a divorce. This period begins on the day the divorce decree is signed by the judge.

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 Posted on April 04, 2025 in Divorce

A contested divorce may involve litigation, which can be emotionally and financially damaging. Resolving divorce disputes outside the courtroom is often beneficial, and mediation can be an effective path to solutions. 

Divorce mediation is a non-adversarial, voluntary process in which a neutral third party helps the couple reach agreements on child custody, parenting time, child support, property division, etc. The goal is to reduce conflict, encourage communication, and allow the parties to create a fair divorce settlement without going to trial. 

During your mediation process, a qualified Texas divorce attorney can offer legal guidance to ensure that you understand your rights and how to safeguard your interests. He can also determine whether litigation or other options are necessary when out-of-court agreements cannot be reached or where mediation may not be an option. 

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 Posted on March 24, 2025 in Divorce

Divorce can be difficult for virtually every couple, even those who are both in agreement regarding the divorce. Many divorcing couples must come to grips with the fact that they are now locked in battle with the person they planned on spending the rest of their lives with. While some spouses feel deep sadness for the end of their marriage, others are mostly angry, and still others are just relieved that it will soon be over.

Texas – along with eight other states - follows community property laws as far as the division of marital assets. This means that marital assets are divided equally, right down the middle, usually without exception. However, if one spouse has engaged in the dissipation of assets, that exception to the division of marital assets may apply. If you are facing divorce, speaking to a knowledgeable Hurst, TX family law attorney can be extremely beneficial.  

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 Posted on March 10, 2025 in Family Law

Texas is one of eight states that still allow common-law marriage. Even though common-law marriage has been a tenet of Texas for many decades, there are still myths that circulate regarding common-law marriage that are simply not true. A domestic partnership has some of the same myths.

If you and your spouse have entered into a common-law marriage or a domestic partnership and now want to end the relationship, you may wonder whether there is a legal procedure – like divorce - to do so. It can be extremely helpful to speak to a knowledgeable Hurst, TX divorce lawyer who can guide you through the process in the best way possible.

What Are the Differences Between a Common-Law Marriage and a Domestic Partnership?

A common-law marriage is an arrangement where two people live together as husband and wife without the outward trappings of a formal marriage. Couples who live under a common-law marriage usually have more rights and benefits than those in a domestic partnership. For a Texas common-law marriage to be valid, a couple must:

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 Posted on February 21, 2025 in Family Law

If you are a parent currently paying child support, you may wonder whether the amount you pay will change because you and your new spouse are expecting a child. The answer to that question is more complex than you might imagine. While lowering child support payments could be possible, it is not automatic, and you might or might not be successful in having your payments lowered.

It is important to know how child support works in Texas so you have a comprehensive understanding of whether your child support payments can be adjusted because you have a new baby. Speaking to an experienced Hurst, TX, family law attorney can be extremely beneficial as you navigate child support issues.  

How Is Child Support Calculated in Texas?

The state of Texas uses a fairly simple formula when calculating child support based on the paying parent's income and the number of children to be supported. The more children, the higher the percentage of the paying parent’s income goes toward child support. The resulting amount is meant to pay for the child’s basic needs.

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 Posted on February 10, 2025 in Divorce

If you expect your divorce to be full of conflict, your choice of divorce attorney really matters. While all divorces can be stressful and emotional, a high-conflict divorce is so contentious that some spouses simply walk away from negotiations, leaving everything they are entitled to behind. Unfortunately, this tactic can have some seriously negative financial results for many years to come.

A much better solution is to make sure the divorce attorney you hire is well-versed in high-conflict divorces and let him or her handle as much of the adversity as possible. A high-conflict divorce usually has intense animosity and a seemingly never-ending cycle of disagreements. Every single decision turns into a battle, from the division of marital assets to child custody arrangements. A high-conflict divorce can drag on for years, draining you financially and emotionally.

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 Posted on January 22, 2025 in Family Law

There are situations in which an individual has been married for many years and perhaps even acted as a parent to his or her spouse’s child for many years. When a divorce occurs, the stepparent may assume he or she will be able to obtain visitation rights in the same way as any parent. Unfortunately, if the stepparent did not legally adopt the child, there are no automatic visitation rights, but the stepparent can petition the court to receive visitation.

As with every decision made by the courts on behalf of a child, the decision will be based on the best interests of the child. In the state of Texas, there are other requirements that must be met for a stepparent to ask for visitation rights. If you are a stepparent who would like to continue to see your stepchild following your divorce, it is important that you speak to an experienced Galveston, TX family law attorney.

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 Posted on January 09, 2025 in Child custody

Residents of Texas may be aware that child custody is sometimes called "conservatorship." Other states often use this term to describe an incapacitated adult who requires another adult to make decisions on his or her behalf in the same way as a guardian but with fewer legal rights and responsibilities.  In Texas, however, the term conservatorship is used interchangeably with custody to describe the rights and responsibilities of parents.

There are three different types of conservatorships that a judge can give to parents during a divorce. If you are currently in the middle of a custody issue or will be facing this issue soon, having an experienced Hurst, TX family law attorney by your side can help make a difference in the outcome.  

The Three Types of Conservatorships in Texas

During the custody phase of a divorce, a judge may grant conservatorship to one or both parents in one of the following ways:

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 Posted on December 24, 2024 in Divorce

Texas recognizes "no-fault" divorce, which means that spouses looking to end their marriage do not have to cite any reason for blame beyond irreconcilable differences. However, Texas also recognizes fault-based divorce. In cases of fault-based divorce, one spouse may cite the other spouse’s misconduct for the collapse of the marriage, which can have real implications when the divorce goes to trial or negotiations.

Whether you want to prove marital misconduct in a divorce or defend against allegations of misconduct, a Hurst, TX family law attorney can be of invaluable assistance. Daniel R. Bacalis, P.C. has over 40 years of experience in family law and is widely recognized as a leader in the field. When you work with our firm, you will receive representation and counsel from a level-headed professional who will pursue a fair settlement for you.

Asset Division

When a divorce goes to trial in Texas, the judge will divide up your marital assets according to what is "just and right" per state law. Under that principle, a judge may consider the following factors when splitting up marital property between you and your spouse:

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