Relationships often end because of infidelity, but even when a relationship ends for other reasons, infidelity may still have been present with or without one partner’s knowledge. Because genetic testing is inexpensive and widely available, some fathers find out unexpectedly that the child they believed was theirs, and which they have cared for and financially supported for many years, is not actually their own.

Understandably, this can cause a man serious distress. Feelings of anger, hurt, and betrayal are common, as is confusion over whether a man who is not the genetic parent of a child wants to keep contributing emotionally and financially to that child’s life. If you are a parent who has been paying child support for a child who turned out not to be your own, you deserve to know your options. Contact a Texas child support attorney for help.

Get a Court Order to Terminate Child Support

It is important not to stop making child support payments without court permission. Even if you find out a child is not yours using a private genetic testing service, you will likely still need to seek genetic testing through the state to prove you are not the father. For sure you will need to file a petition with the court to terminate the parent-child relationship and your child support obligation. You may also need to prove that you relied on misinformation when you assumed you were the child’s parent; for example, if you were married to the child’s mother at the time of the child’s birth and the law assumed you were the child’s parent, you may have assumed so as well.

Divorce is notorious for bringing out the worst in people. Years of conflict, anger, and frustration often come to the surface when spouses are trying to negotiate the terms of their divorce, and some spouses are so intent on getting back at each other that they may refuse to cooperate altogether. Other times, spouses may decide to not cooperate with the divorce process because they genuinely believe separating would be a mistake, they believe their religion prohibits it, or because they are trying to manipulate their spouse into staying with them.

Whatever the reason, if you have asked your spouse for a divorce and they have said no, you still have options. You do not have to remain trapped in a bad marriage forever. Instead, call a Texas divorce attorney who has experience helping spouses in high-conflict divorces and start the next phase of your life today.

Do Both Spouses Have to Consent to Divorce?

Texas does not require both spouses to consent to divorce in order for the divorce to be finalized. In fact, if your spouse absolutely refuses to cooperate, you may actually get the upper hand in a divorce; when one partner will not respond to a divorce petition or appear in a court summons, a judge is more likely to give you the things you are asking for in your divorce decree.

Prenuptial agreements are legal documents that couples can create and sign before getting married. Provisions in the document include directives regarding how property and assets will be divided in the event that the marriage ends in divorce, as well as plans for how finances will be handled during the marriage. Prenuptial agreements are often misunderstood, and there is quite a bit of misinformation circulating on the internet regarding them. The good news is that an experienced family law attorney can help you learn the truth about these potentially helpful tools.

Myth 1: Getting a Prenup is Planning for Divorce

The most commonly held false belief when it comes to any premarital agreement is that only couples who plan to divorce create these arrangements. This is simply not true. Although short-lived celebrity weddings have given prenuptial agreements a bad reputation, many couples benefit from prenups and never end up divorced.

Myth 2: Asking your Partner for an Agreement Will Only Lead to a Fight

Because of the misconceptions regarding prenups, it can be difficult to bring up the subject with your soon-to-be spouse. However, with the right perspective and approach, a discussion about the possibility of using a prenuptial agreement does not have to be stressful. Research the benefits of prenuptial agreements together or meet with a family law attorney who can explain the purposes of the document. The key is to keep your significant other “in the loop” so that it is a joint decision instead of trying to figure everything out on your own.

Families often spend years, even decades, in the same house. Wonderful life-long memories are made in homes, and so it is understandable that if a couple decides to get divorced, it can be very difficult to decide what to do with the family home. However, because marital assets must be divided in a Texas divorce, the value of the home needs to be allocated between spouses - even if one spouse ends up deciding to keep the home. If you are wondering whether you want to keep your home in your divorce, read on and then meet with a Texas divorce attorney to examine your options. 

What to Consider When Thinking About Divorce and the Family Home 

Every divorce is different, so the answer to the question of whether you should keep the family home is not cut and dried. Many factors will go into the planning and execution of how marital assets are divided. 

Before you begin to approach the question of the home’s eventual ownership, you first need to think about your overall financial situation and what you hope to get out of the divorce. Think carefully about your long-term financial well-being, especially if you are at or near retirement age. Often, much of a couple’s net worth is tied up in their home. If you were to negotiate full ownership of your home in exchange for retirement benefits, cash savings, or other assets, you may find that while you own the house, you may not own much else. 

Deciding whether or not to get a divorce can be one of the most challenging decisions a person ever has to make. It is common for people considering divorce to go back and forth, sometimes wanting to separate, and other times wanting very much to keep their family together. Considering that divorce has the potential to have negative consequences for both spouses and children, it is not a decision to take lightly; and yet, at some point, the decision must be made. 

If you have been thinking about divorce and are wondering whether your reasons are “good enough,” it may be helpful to read what psychological experts say are rational reasons for divorce. Of course, no matter what the experts or anyone else says, your own judgment and intuition should guide you in this important decision before anything else. To learn about common reasons for divorce, read this blog and then contact a Texas divorce attorney to find out more about the divorce process, including issues regarding child support, alimony, custody, and property division. 

Physical Abuse

While this one may seem fairly obvious to people who are not involved in physically abusive relationships, spouses of physically abusive partners often find it difficult to leave–and for good reason. Rarely is a person all good or all bad; a person who sometimes loses their temper and throws things or hits their spouse may manipulate their partner into believing they have redeeming qualities. However, for your own safety and that of your children, experts recommend leaving a relationship where physical abuse is present.