Getting a Divorce from Your Addict Spouse
Has the time come to seriously start thinking about divorcing your Addict Spouse? After much heartbreaking soul searching has the time to break the downhill addictive spiral come for you and your family? Have you decided to stop the instability and damaging personal assaults the addictive spouse and parent has inflicted on the entire family?
Here are some possible questions you may ask yourself before making the final decision of divorcing your Addict Spouse:
- Have you acknowledged to yourself that your spouse is an addict?
- Have you acknowledged to your spouse that he/she is an addict?
- Has your life and that of your family become chaotic and unstable as a result of living with an addict?
- Have you gotten help for yourself and your spouse from an addiction expert?
- Have you attended counseling with your spouse and a knowledgeable addiction therapist?
- Have you or your family experienced serious negative consequences as a result of your spouse’s addiction?
- Have you considered or tried an intervention?
- Have you told your addict spouse that you are contemplating divorce unless he/she stops using?
- Are you now ready to leave the marriage and stop the pain?
You do not have to live in this current situation. Are you, as the non-addictive spouse, already the enabler in this relationship? Many times when the addictive spouse does seek professional help it is already too late for the marriage to survive.
If you have a family, addictive reality is very destructive to you and all family members involved. Most non-addictive family members feel very helpless in stopping the family unit from being destroyed or addressing the viability of the marriage.
(credit : National Institute on Chemical Dependency: http://nicd.inspirehealth.org/)
HOA Litigation in Texas
Texas Home Owner Associations ( HOA ) : Are You in For Problems?
A HOA has the power to make every neighbor’s’ life a little easier by establishing restrictions that keep the neighborhood clean, safe, and accountable.
But certain issues , depending on the by-laws of your HOA, such as unjustified forced foreclosures, failure to repair plumbing or foundations, trying to force you to construct or build a fence on your separate property are worth seeking legal advice. An experienced attorney is needed if you are to take on a Texas Home Owner’s Association. Many HOA by-laws are open to interpretation regarding what a Texas HOA must repair and what is not responsible for under the HOA by-laws. To battle a strong HOA organization it takes an experienced real estate lawyer and if you have been a victim of HOA oppression seek an experienced lawyer immediately.
Julian Nacol
Dallas TX Attorney
Nacol Law Firm P.C.
(972) 690-3333
Mediation : Alternative Dispute Resolution
“Mediation” is a process to aid parties in finding a fair and equitable settlement of disputes without unnecessary court intervention. Most Texas district and county courts require pretrial mediation for a variety of cases in order to help the parties resolve their problems while avoiding extensive court procedures and expenses
Mediation is a process in which the parties, under the guidance of a Mediator, agree upon a legally binding settlement the disputes in issue without a trial. Meditation can take many forms and the process may produce creative solutions without the direct rulings of the court. Courts usually encourage the opposing lawyers to first mediate a dispute and if no progress is made then continue the normal judicial process.
The Mediator that helps bring both sides to an agreement usually is a lawyer, ex-judge, or other specialist who has experience or expert training in the specific areas related to the dispute. A Mediator fees may range anywhere from $160-$500 dollars an hour depending on the case and the complexity of the issues in dispute. Mediators attempt to work with each side to find a reasonable middle ground to which a fair agreement can be structured.
An experienced lawyer is a valuable tool to advance favorable terms of any agreement during a mediation. During a mediation a Mediator will likely place the parties into separate “Caucus” areas, splitting the parties into different rooms to negotiate individually with each party to understand the positions and interests. Once the Mediator has talked to each party he will attempt to discover a common grounds that will fairly or smoothly serve both parties’ interests. If an agreement is reached that neither side is overly happy about, it is often likely that a reasonable compromise has been reached.
The important point of a mediation is to express your concerns and attempt to reach a compromise that is mutually acceptable, smart and fair to both sides. Many courts support this type of dispute resolution because it frees up the courts dockets and allow the parties to consider compromise first without involving the courts. Mediation maybe a cost saver, as the dollars you spend on an attorney for trial can be reduced significantly if a compromise is reached.
Make sure you have an attorney who is experienced in the Mediation process and knows how to craft a smart, fair deal which will result in significant cost savings.
My Kids have been hidden by my Ex! And I do not know where they are!
This is a “Never Want to Live Through” Scenario: After a family breakup or divorce, your kids are picked up by your Ex and they all disappear! Where are they? Are they in danger? Will I ever see my children again?
After you get over your shock, the main question you will ask is: What can I do to get my children back?
- Thinking clearly, you must respond quickly. Time is of the essence.
- Contact the police immediately. You need to tell them that the runaway parent may have taken the children without permission. Make sure that you have your certified legal court orders that pertain to your parental arrangement agreement concerning your children. It is important to be able to show the police the specific orders and how important it is to find the runaway parent and kids!
- Make a list of possible locations the runaway parent may have taken the children. This helps the police in their search.
- Contact a family law attorney immediately. After the runaway has occurred, there will be court intervention to prevent any further occurrences. Custody and supervised visitation issues will also need to be addressed.
If you were never married or divorced from the runaway parent, or if you have no legal court orders concerning or establishing custody and visitation rights in place, this could be a serious impediment in securing help to find your children.
At any time this could happen to you! If your legal position concerning custody and visitation with your children is in limbo, go secure a family law attorney and the help you need to protect your kids.
If a custody agreement is in place with the courts, it is legally binding. If the runaway parent violates the agreement terms, this parent is in violation of the law and will likely face some serious legal problems.
Many times, the runaway parent may take the children out of your area and may even cross state lines. This violation in your custody/visitation agreement could be considered parental kidnapping if the runaway parent moved without telling you the new residence of the child or without getting legal permission through the court to move or modify the custody order.
When the runaway parent and children are found, this is what could happen:
- Custody Arrangements will legally be changed by court orders. You will most likely be awarded protective orders or custody with the runaway parent receiving supervised visitation or no contact with the child.
- The runaway parent may also face criminal charges and jail time.
Legal Wills & Trusts in Texas : Contesting a Texas Will
At the Dallas firm of The Nacol Law Firm PC, our lawyer Mark A. Nacol, offers more than three decades of experience in resolving Texas probate matters and Texas contested wills. Our trusted legal counsel has assisted numerous clients throughout Texas.
For more information on Texas probate law and Texas will contests, from Dallas Attorney Mark Nacol, contact us today at (972) 690-3333.
NACOL LAW FIRM P.C.
8144 Walnut Hill Lane
Suite 1190
Dallas, Texas 75231
972-690-3333
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Attorney Mark A. Nacol is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
