Posted on May 08, 2025 in Divorce

For many couples, pets are not just animals; they are family. Whether it is a dog, cat, or more exotic companion, deciding what happens to a pet in a divorce can be one of the most emotionally difficult parts of the process. Yet in most states, including Texas, pets are still considered property under the law.

If you are going through a divorce and you and your spouse cannot agree on who will keep your pets, the court will treat them as part of the marital estate. That means the outcome may not reflect emotional attachments or caregiving roles unless your San Antonio, TX divorce attorney knows how to present those facts effectively.

How Texas Courts Handle Pet Ownership in Divorce

Texas law does not currently provide for pet custody arrangements like those used for children. The court does not consider what is best for the animal or whether both spouses should share time. Instead, pets are categorized as property, and the judge must determine which spouse gets to keep the animal.

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 Posted on April 23, 2025 in Divorce

 Divorce is a stressful and emotional journey, full of decisions that will have lasting effects on you and your children. If you are considering divorce, understanding the common mistakes others have made can empower you to avoid them. Our experienced Texas divorce attorney at Brandon Wong & Associates is here to guide you, helping you sidestep these errors and making the divorce process smoother.

Taking Divorce Advice From Friends and Family 

Your friend or family member may have gone through a divorce, so they may want to offer advice based on their experience. However, proceed carefully when taking divorce-related legal advice from people you know. Loved ones usually mean well, but every divorce is unique and what worked in someone else’s case might not suit your situation.

Not Providing Your Attorney with Full Disclosure About Your Marriage

When you speak to your attorney, they must know everything about the marriage. Many people are embarrassed to share any skeletons in the closet, such as infidelity. However, these darker aspects of the marriage will always come out, and you do not want your lawyer to find out about these secrets during a divorce trial. Always provide your divorce lawyer with full disclosure about your marriage.

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 Posted on April 08, 2025 in Divorce

Texas law encourages couples who file for divorce to attempt mediation before the judge hears the case, and it may be court-ordered. You might be sure that you want a divorce and prefer to skip the mediation. However, mediation offers useful benefits that many people considering divorce may benefit from.

An experienced Texas divorce attorney at Brandon Wong & Associates is available to guide you through the divorce and mediation process. Attorney Brandon Wong offers mediation services and has assisted many clients in mediation and litigation in San Antonio and Central Texas.

What is Court-Ordered Mediation in Texas? 

Court-ordered mediation in Texas is a legal process where the court orders the parties to attempt to resolve the divorce or family law dispute. A neutral third party, called a mediator, oversees the mediation process and attempts to bring the sides together in an agreement without going to litigation. Mediation is commonly used in divorces and family law disputes, such as child custody or child support matters.

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 Posted on March 25, 2025 in Child Custody

Child custody questions are some of the most contentious in Texas divorces. Most parents want to spend as much time as possible with their children. Many factors influence child custody calculations, and in some cases, the child’s preference has a role to play as well.

A Texas child custody attorney at Brandon Wong & Associates can explain how child custody decisions are made. They can also discuss your child’s preference for where and how they live and represent your interests in your divorce.

Factors in Texas Child Custody Decisions

Texas family courts strive for both parents to be involved in the child’s life unless there is a significant reason to limit a parent’s role, such as physical or emotional abuse. Any decision about child custody - legally known in Texas as "conservatorship" - is guided by the child's best interests. State law does not have a checklist of factors that determine where the child will primarily live. However, several factors have been established in family courts that determine the best living arrangement for the child.

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 Posted on March 12, 2025 in Blog

When parents divorce or separate, one major concern is how their child’s expenses will be covered — especially when it comes to college tuition. In many states, courts can order a parent to contribute to a child’s educational expenses as part of child support. However, Texas law takes a different approach. At Brandon Wong & Associates, our Texas family lawyers help divorcing and separated parents navigate child support and we are here to answer your questions.

Does Texas Child Support Cover College Tuition?

In Texas, child support obligations generally end when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school, whichever comes later. The Texas Family Code does not require parents to pay for a child’s college education as part of court-ordered child support. This means that, unless parents agree otherwise, there is no legal obligation for a parent to contribute to tuition, housing, or other college expenses.

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 Posted on February 24, 2025 in Family Law

If you are considering international adoption, you may have come across two terms: Hague and non-Hague adoptions. At first glance, the distinction might not seem significant, but the route you choose will shape your adoption experience and impact everything from legal protections to adoption timelines.

As you begin this journey, it is important to understand the differences between these two processes and how they interact with Texas law. At Brandon Wong & Associates, our Texas international adoption attorneys understand Hague and non-Hague adoptions and will guide you, whichever route you choose.

What is the Hague Adoption Convention and How Does it Affect Adoption? 

The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption is an international treaty designed to protect the best interests of children, adoptive families, and birth parents. Countries that participate in the Hague Convention must follow strict guidelines to prevent child trafficking and ensure ethical adoption practices.

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 Posted on February 12, 2025 in Divorce

Dividing and valuing a business in a divorce is complicated. A judge will consider several factors before making a final decision on whether your business will be considered community or separate property, and some take precedence over others. If you are losing sleep over the fate of your company, you should speak with a Texas family law attorney who can provide you with legal advice and representation.

At Brandon Wong & Associates, our divorce lawyer is qualified to help you address your concerns about your family business. Attorney Brandon Wong has been practicing family law for well over a decade, and he knows how to advocate for his clients’ best interests in difficult divorces.

When Was the Business Established?

Timing is an important factor in categorizing a business as community or separate property. As a general rule, if you bought or created the business during your marriage, it is more likely to be considered community property.

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 Posted on January 23, 2025 in Divorce

If you are thinking about filing for divorce in Texas and you depend on your spouse’s income, you might be wondering whether you can get alimony. In Texas, alimony is officially called "spousal maintenance." Unlike in some other states, Texas has strict rules about when spousal maintenance can be awarded. It is not automatic, so it is important to understand what the law says and how it applies to your situation. To get the most reliable information about whether you could get alimony in your divorce, call our San Antonio, TX divorce lawyer. 

What Are the Rules About Alimony in Texas? 

The rules about spousal maintenance are explained in Texas Family Code Chapter 8. To qualify, you must show that you do not have enough money or property to meet your basic needs after the divorce. You must also meet at least one of the following conditions:

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 Posted on January 14, 2025 in Child Custody

In Texas, family law uses specific terms that can seem confusing at first, especially because they are different from commonly used terms like "child custody" and "visitation." If you are thinking about getting a divorce, taking the time to learn these terms and what they mean can make divorce easier and less stressful. At Brandon Wong & Associates, our Texas divorce and family law attorneys focus on making the divorce process approachable for everyone. Call us today. 

Conservatorship

In Texas, "conservatorship" refers to the legal rights and responsibilities a parent has regarding their child. Instead of terms like "custody," Texas law uses "conservator" to describe a parent's role. There are two main types:

• Joint Managing Conservatorship (JMC): Both parents share decision-making responsibilities for major aspects of the child’s life, like education and medical care.

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 Posted on December 30, 2024 in Divorce

In Texas, dividing property during a divorce is often a complex process, especially when trying to distinguish between separate and marital property. Texas is a community property state, meaning most property acquired during the marriage is jointly owned by both spouses and subject to division in a divorce.

However, separate property, which belongs solely to one spouse, is not divided during a divorce. This distinction can become blurred when separate property becomes marital property, in part or in whole. Understanding how this happens and the consequences can help you protect your interests, and our Texas family lawyers are here to help.

What is Separate Property in Texas?

Under Texas law, separate property includes assets owned by one spouse before the marriage, as well as gifts, inheritances, and personal injury settlements received during the marriage. This type of property is not subject to division in a divorce, but proving an asset is separate property requires clear and convincing evidence, such as documentation or financial records.

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