Tuesday Tips: Deadlines

Who likes deadlines?  Raise your hands. Sometimes they motivate us and sometimes they are a pain.

Like them or not, we are often stuck with them in life.  If you get into the legal system,  you will run into many deadlines and you really do have to pay attention to them.  There are serious consequences, if you miss deadlines.  Here are a few to watch for:

• Answer date.  If you are served with papers, they often require an answer.  If you don't respond in time, you may lose.

• Discovery deadline.  There may be deadlines for sending discovery requests out and deadlines for responding to requests.  If you send it out too late, it may be ignored.  If you answer late, your answer may be ignored.

• Scheduling order.  This is a court order that contains a number of deadlines.  Be sure you pay attention to it, or you may be in trouble.

• New trial.  If you are unhappy with the result of a trial, you have a limited amount of time to file a motion for a new trial. 

• Collaborative Law.  Even Collaborative Law has some deadlines, but they are fairly easy to manage.  After a notice of Collaborative Law is filed with the court, the attorneys have to report every six months about whether the process is continuing, and they have a two-year period where the court cannot impose deadlines or take actions.

Your lawyer is aware of the deadlines and should keep up with them.  If you have questions about timing, be sure to consult with your lawyer.

Bonus Note:  The 60-Day Waiting Period is Not a Deadline -- There is a 60-day waiting period that begins when a divorce is filed in Texas.  NOTHING Happens automatically when the 60 days is up. The 61st day after filing is simply the earliest that a divorce could be granted.

Tuesday Tips: Death and Taxes

On April 15, it's easy to remember the old saying that the only things certain in life are death and taxes.


Maybe it's also a good time to remember why people get married (other than the more favorable tax treatment!).  If you are married, talk to your spouse today, or any day or everyday, about why you're glad you're married.  You might get a nice dividend!

Tuesday Tips: Don't Threaten Divorce

Just Do It! (As a famous apparel seller used to urge us.)

     Once you start threatening divorce, you start to weaken the bonds of marriage.

     Some people, who want to remain married, threaten to divorce their spouse to get the spouse to change some behavior -- stay home more, quit drinking, pay attention, etc.

     What the other spouse focuses on, though, is that the first spouse wants a divorce.  This feeling becomes stronger as the threat is repeated over time.

     If you want a divorce, go ahead and file, or discuss it if you want.

     If you really want something else, skip the attempted pressure tactics and have a discussion about what can be done to improve a problem area.  Threatening divorce will not solve the problem and will probably result in divorce.

Tuesday Tips: No Fooling!

If you are facing going to court for a divorce or other Family Law matter, you need to be aware that most everything is taken seriously in the court system.

Here are some things to remember that are Not Joking Matters!

1.  Notice of Hearing:  When you get a notice of a hearing, that's a real obligation.  You and your attorney will probably have to be there.  If you ignore it, there will be consequences.

2.  Deadlines for Discovery:  If you get discovery sent to you, there will be due dates for your answers.  If you miss the deadlines, you may not be able to introduce or even discuss the evidence later.

3.  Child support payments:  They must be made on time.  If they are late, interest will be added.

4.  Pick up and return times for visitation:  There's no reason to play games with visitation.

5.  The need to update and supplement:  As things change, please let your attorney know right away so your pleadings and discovery responses can be updated.  Otherwise, you may not be able to get into those issues.

6.  Being honest with your attorney:  This is absolutely essential.  We need to even know the bad details so we can be prepared.  The other side will certainly know and use them!

7.  Being honest with the court:  Since the makes so many discretionary decisions, it's crazy to lie to the Judge and get the Judge mad at you. Plus you could be found in contempt, sent to jail and criminally prosecuted.  It's your choice.

8.  Don't hide information:  It will probably be found and it will make you look bad.  Plus, don't forget all the Judge's discretion on issues.

9.  Don't hide assets:  If you hide assets, they will likely be found and you will almost certainly lose them.

10.  Fighting: Remember, the more you fight, the more it costs.