McKinney Family Law Blog

Texas parents going through a divorce experience many tough times, but one of the toughest moments is when it comes time to talk to your children about it. Many times, the children may feel overwhelmed by the decision. Later, they may feel as though they are being pressured to like one parent more than the other, which can make them feel torn. However, while this subject may be difficult, there are some ways that parents can help their children get through the divorce.

For one, parents should not speak badly about the other parent. Doing so in the child's presence can make children feel like they have to choose between the "good" parent and the "bad" parent. Furthermore, you should not try to win over the children by telling them the particulars of adult matters. Often, this can simply confuse the child and make them feel more anxious about the divorce. Finally, it is important to not fight with your ex while the children are watching.

Many times, divorce proceedings create an enormous amount of stress for the people involved. This can be especially true for high-profile cases. Although many Texas residents are able to work through the issues of a divorce, not everyone is able to come to agreements easily. This seems to be the case in a recent high-profile divorce case between Tareq and Michaele Salahi. The couple has clashed over several debts, among other issues.

The Salahis first gained notoriety in November 2009 when they snuck into a state dinner. Michaele separated from Tareq in September 2011 and has been dating a guitarist from the rock band Journey ever since. Although Michaele filed divorce papers in December, several financial issues have become the basis of a bitter legal battle between the two spouses.

Property division can always be complicated. However, property division can be especially tricky for couples who are very wealthy. Though prenuptial agreements often help, in some cases they can serve as yet another point of contention between couples facing divorce. In one Texas divorce, a CEO has claimed a negative net worth of some $50 million, while his wife is claiming that he has violated the terms of their prenuptial agreement.

Prior to their marriage, the parties signed a prenuptial agreement, which provided that the wife would receive half of the couple's community property upon a divorce, with a cap of $5 million. According to the wife, the CEO still owes her $104,000. They have been married for six years and share two children, ages 3 and 6. Furthermore, the court has been asked to decide whether the husband should be ordered pay $20,000 a month in spousal support, as well as undisclosed interim attorney fees.

When people seek a divorce, it is typically because the marriage is simply not working out. However, Texas residents may be interested to hear about a unique case in which one woman was serveddivorce papers from a man from another country that she had never met. The reason behind this mishap was simple: a stolen identity. Her birth certificate that was lost 16 years ago was being used by a few people for marriage -- some speculate for immigration purposes.

The woman learned about the identity theft problem long before when she had tried to marry her current husband in 2004. After going to the City Clerk's Office for a marriage certificate, she was turned down when officials found out that she had been married twice in 1996 to two men to whom she was purportedly still married. The couple eventually got married in another jurisdiction, though the problem did not go away.