The definitions provided below are meant to be helpful, but they are not intended to serve as legal advice or to cover every possible interpretation of the terms included, nor are they exact definitions of the terms.
Appeal: requesting the district court of appeal to review a lower court's decision. This is time sensitive and involves strict procedures.
Liabilities: A liability is everything you or your spouse owe, such as credit cars, mortgages, personal loans, unpaid medical bills, etc. The court ultimately will decide how to divide these debts, if you and your spouse do not come to an agreement.
Asset: An asset is everything you or your spouse own, such as cars, life insurance policies, household goods, gifts, inheritances, properties, family businesses, and bank accounts. The court will ultimately decide how to divide these assets, if you and your spouse do not come to an agreement.
Delinquent: late.
Mediator: This is a neutral professional who assists parties in resolving disputes outside of court. Mediators’ help communicate and negotiate agreements that are fair and beneficial to each party. They are not able to give legal advice or take a side, and are solely there to get an agreement into writing.
Obligee: The parent who receives the child support.
Obligor: The parent who pays child support.
Payor: The employer or other person who provides income to the parent who pays the child support.
Hearing: a legal proceeding in which a judge will listen to the evidence and arguments presented by both parties in a family law case.
Pleading: a written request to the court of the requested relief you're seeking.
Final hearing: Final court hearing where the judge has a final decision on all unresolved issues.
Trial: The final court hearing in a contested case.
Uncontested: When both parties of the divorce agree on everything without having to go to court.
No contact: No-contact order, also known as a protective order, is put in place in order to prevent a person from contacting another individual. This order is put in place to protect an individual from domestic violence, stalking, or sexual abuse.
Marital liability (community debt): generally speaking, this is a debt that was built up during the marriage, which is considered to be a shared responsibility. This debt can only be determined nonmarital by a mutual agreement or judge.
Marital asset (community property): This is any property that was acquired during the marriage, or that is owned together. These assets can only be determined nonmarital by a mutual agreement or judge.
Non-marital asset (separate property): This is a property that is owned by only one spouse and is not divided in a divorce. Something can be determined nonmarital by mutual agreement or judge.
Non-marital liability (separate debt): generally speaking, this is a debt that occurred before the marriage or while separated.
Guardian ad Litem: A person appointed by the court to represent the child in the case. Their role is to investigate and evaluate the child's situation to figure out what is best for the child(ren)’s situation.
Final judgment: A written document that contains the judges final decision in the case.
Child support: A financial payment made by one or both parents to pay for raising a child.
Financial affidavit: a legal document that contains financial information including expenses, income, debts, and assets.
Contested issues: issues that neither party could agree on, which must be resolved in a hearing or trial by a judge.
Ex parte: Generally when an emergency order is needed, one party goes before the judge without the other party present.
Enjoined: prohibited.
Counter petition: pleading countering your requested relief in response to the original pleading.
Dependent child(ren): children of the parties of the marriage.
Paternity action: an action to establish who is the biological parent of the child.
Permanent alimony: In other words spousal maintenance, a request to the court to order monthly allotment to the agreed spouse.
Reasonable visitation: periods of time that the children will spend with the noncustodial parents, governed by the texas family code.
Rotating custody: Rotating custody allows parents to have equal time with the child(ren).
Joint managing conservatorship: When both parents have the shared responsibility of the child(ren) and make decisions jointly.
Specified visitation: rules for access and visitation of child(ren).
Supervised visitation: a court ordered arrangement that allows a non custodial parent to visit their child(ren), only with a neutral third party present.
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