Shock. Surprise. Anger. All of these feelings are very common in people who have been surprised with divorce papers. You may have known that your marriage was not going well, but a process server showing up at your house with a Petition for Divorce might still have been an unpleasant, unexpected event. 

Even if you were completely caught off guard when your spouse served you with divorce papers, it is essential to respond carefully and thoughtfully. Rushing angrily into the divorce process will do far more harm than good, even if your anger is completely justified. Begin with understanding the legal terms of divorce, dates for responding to your spouse’s petition, and other important details. Then work with an experienced Texas divorce attorney to develop a strategy for managing your divorce process. 

My Spouse Served Me With Divorce Papers. What Do I Need to Do First? 

The first thing you need to do is understand that you are now the “respondent” and your spouse is the “petitioner.” Neither the respondent nor the petitioner are more advantageous but it is important to know who you are so you can understand the divorce papers in front of you. 

As many people who have gotten divorced can testify, the decision to get a divorce in Texas is not always so clear-cut. Even when someone is sure they are making the right choice, she may question herself, have doubts, and even feel regrets. In some cases, a divorcing couple will realize partway through the process that they want to try to resolve their problems and stay married. If this sounds like you, read on. 

Can We Cancel Our Divorce? 

If both spouses want to stop the divorce process, they simply need to file a motion for dismissal and the process will be over. If only one spouse was seeking to get a divorce, and the other spouse had not responded with his or her petition, only the first spouse needs to file a motion for dismissal. This is called a Notice of Nonsuit. 

If one spouse wants to continue with the divorce, the divorce will go on. Even if the other spouse decides not to cooperate at all, a judge can finalize the divorce without the help or input of the non-cooperative spouse. A spouse cannot simply “cancel” her divorce in the hopes that the divorce will not move forward. 

For most Texas parents, child support payments stop when their youngest child turns 18 or graduates from high school. But when a child has a disability that prevents him or her from becoming financially independent, the usual limits may not apply and a parent may be required to pay child support for an adult child indefinitely. For a brief overview of adult child support, read this blog and then contact a Texas family law attorney for help with your case. 

When Does an Adult Child Qualify for Child Support in Texas? 

For a parent to be responsible for their adult child indefinitely, the child must have a disability that meets certain requirements and which manifested before age 18. A child with debilitating depression or who has been in a serious car accident once she is already an adult will not qualify, even if she still lives at home. If the disability was known before age 18, the parent requesting child support payments must show that: 

• The child has a mental or physical disability, and

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The end of a relationship means that parents of minor children will be under heightened scrutiny when it comes to providing financial support to their children. Whether it is through a divorce or breakup, as well as when parents were never in a relationship, both parents have a legal obligation to make sure their child’s needs are cared for. 

A Texas child support order quantifies which parent must make child support payments and how much they must be, but some parents decide to try to dodge child support payments. If you are the parent of a young child and your child’s other parent has stopped making child support payments, do not wait to take action. Get help from an experienced child support attorney right away. 

Make Sure You Have a Child Support Order

Before you can enforce a child support order, you need to have one. A simple verbal agreement between parents may seem easier, but it is not enforceable in court. If you and your ex have not established a child support order yet, do not worry. The Texas Office of the Attorney General or a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR) can make sure you get a child support order, including establishing paternity if necessary, and your attorney can guide you through this process. 

On November 7, 1932, the Supreme Court came to a landmark decision that would change the way in which criminal cases were treated thereafter. In that case, Powell v. Alabama 287 U.S. 45 (1932), the court laid out the basic due process requirements of a fair trial, including the right to effective counsel, adequate time to prepare a case, and a fair hearing. This decision signaled a significant change in the way criminal defendants would be treated in this country from here on out.

The Case That Changed History

It all started on March 25, 1931, with a fight between a group of poor black boys and poor white boys broke out aboard a freight train. Neither group of boys had paid for their tickets, and when the train stopped next, all but one white boy was thrown off just over the Alabama state line. When they got off, the group of white boys promptly informed law enforcement of the incident, and all nine black youths were detained when they reached the town of Scottsboro, Alabama. These nine youth-ranging in age from 12 to 20-would eventually become known as the Scottsboro Boys.