Plano Family Law Attorneys

Filing for divorce sets a legal process in motion that will touch every part of your life. Texas is a community property state, which means that the court presumes all property acquired during the marriage belongs to both spouses and is subject to division, but community property does not mean equal division. Texas law requires a “just and right” division, which gives the court significant discretion to divide the marital estate based on the specific facts of each case.

That discretion is where preparation matters. Factors the court may consider include the disparity in earning capacity between spouses, fault in the breakup of the marriage, the health and age of each spouse, the nature of the property involved, and the needs of the children. If one spouse wasted community assets, committed fraud on the community estate, or engaged in conduct that caused the marriage to fail, those facts can shift the division of the community estate.

For Plano families, divorce often involves complex financial issues. The Collin County economy is driven by corporate professionals, business owners, and dual-income households, which means divorce cases here frequently involve stock options, restricted stock units, deferred compensation, retirement accounts, and business valuations. We work with forensic accountants and valuation experts when necessary to ensure that no asset is overlooked and that the community estate is fully and accurately characterized before any division is proposed.

We also handle cases involving spousal maintenance. While Texas is historically conservative in awarding spousal support, the law does provide for maintenance when a spouse lacks sufficient property and earning ability to provide for minimum reasonable needs after the divorce, particularly in long-duration marriages or situations involving family violence.

Child custody is the most emotionally charged area of family law, and it is the area where the consequences of inadequate representation are felt most acutely. In Texas, custody is determined through two legal concepts: conservatorship and possession and access.

Conservatorship determines which parent has the legal authority to make important decisions about the child, including decisions about education, medical care, religious upbringing, and where the child will live. In the majority of Collin County cases, the court appoints both parents as joint managing conservators. However, joint managing conservatorship does not mean equal decision-making.

The court typically grants one parent the exclusive right to designate the child’s primary residence, often with a geographic restriction limiting that residence to Collin County and contiguous counties.

Possession and access establishes the physical schedule for when each parent has time with the child. The Texas Standard Possession Order provides a default framework, but the court has broad authority to deviate from the standard order based on the child’s best interest. For children under three, for parents with non-traditional work schedules, or in cases involving safety concerns, a modified possession schedule may be appropriate.

Eren Price’s background prosecuting crimes against children gives her a perspective on custody litigation that few family law attorneys can match. She understands how allegations of abuse and neglect are investigated, how forensic interviews are conducted, how medical evidence is evaluated, and how child protective services operates. When these issues arise in a custody case, our clients benefit from an attorney who has spent her career in exactly this arena.

We represent parents seeking primary conservatorship, parents defending against attempts to restrict their access to their children, grandparents seeking custody or visitation rights, and parents involved in CPS-related proceedings that intersect with their family law case.

Texas uses a percentage-of-income model to calculate child support. The obligor pays 20% of net monthly resources for one child, 25% for two children, 30% for three, and so on. Net resources include salary, bonuses, commissions, self-employment income, rental income, dividends, and most other sources of revenue, minus social security taxes, income taxes, health insurance premiums for the child, and union dues.

The guideline calculation is straightforward in a case where both parents are W-2 employees with stable, documented income. In Plano, however, many parents earn income through self-employment, own businesses, receive equity compensation, or have fluctuating earnings tied to commissions or bonuses. In these situations, establishing the obligor’s true net resources requires careful analysis of tax returns, business records, bank statements, and sometimes the testimony of a forensic accountant.

We also handle above-guideline child support claims. When the obligor’s net resources exceed $9,200 per month, the court may order support above the guideline amount if the custodial parent demonstrates that the child’s proven needs justify it. In a community like Plano, where the cost of extracurricular activities, private schooling, and the general standard of living during the marriage may have been substantial, above-guideline support is a real consideration.

Property division in a Plano divorce can be one of the most technically demanding aspects of the case. The first step is characterization: determining which assets are community property and which are the separate property of one spouse. Property owned before the marriage, inherited during the marriage, or received as a gift is generally separate property, but only if it can be clearly traced. When separate and community funds have been commingled over the course of a long marriage, tracing can become extremely complex.

Common issues in Plano property division cases include the valuation of business interests and professional practices, the division of stock options and restricted stock units that may not yet have vested, the characterization of retirement accounts that contain both pre-marital and marital contributions, disputes over the family home and whether it should be sold or awarded to one spouse, and claims of reimbursement when community funds were used to pay down a spouse’s separate property mortgage or improve separate property real estate.

We work closely with forensic accountants, business valuation experts, and real estate appraisers to build a complete and accurate picture of the marital estate. Thorough financial discovery and expert analysis are not optional in a complex property case. They are the foundation of a just and right division.

We handle cases involving spousal maintenance when support after divorce is genuinely at issue. While Texas is historically conservative in awarding spousal support, the law does provide for maintenance when a spouse lacks sufficient property and earning ability to provide for minimum reasonable needs after the divorce, particularly in long-duration marriages or situations involving family violence.

Family law orders are not set in stone. Texas law recognizes that circumstances change and provides a mechanism for modifying custody, possession, and support orders when those changes are material and substantial. A parent’s relocation, a significant change in income, a child’s evolving needs, remarriage, or a change in the child’s living conditions can all serve as the basis for a modification.

We also handle enforcement actions when a former spouse or co-parent is not complying with an existing court order. If your co-parent is withholding visitation, failing to pay child support, refusing to follow the terms of the decree regarding property, or otherwise violating the order, the court has the power to hold that person in contempt. Penalties for contempt may include fines, an award of attorney’s fees to the aggrieved party, community service, and incarceration for up to six months per violation.

Enforcement is not something to delay. Courts expect parties to comply with their orders, and the longer a violation goes unaddressed, the harder it can be to remedy. If your co-parent is not following the court’s order, we can file a motion for enforcement and pursue every available remedy.

If you or your child is the victim of family violence, a protective order can provide immediate legal protection. A protective order issued by a Collin County court can prohibit the abuser from committing further acts of violence, threatening or harassing you, going near your home or workplace, and communicating with you directly. Violation of a protective order is a criminal offense subjecting the offender to arrest and prosecution for the offense.

We help clients obtain protective orders on an emergency basis when there is an immediate danger, and we represent clients at the full hearing that follows. We also defend individuals who have been wrongfully accused and are facing a protective order application. False allegations of family violence are unfortunately common in contentious divorces and custody disputes, and a protective order based on false claims can have serious consequences for custody, visitation, and even your right to remain in your own home.

Eren Price is a nationally recognized expert in crimes against children who spent nearly 18 years at the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. She prosecuted complex homicide cases, trained law enforcement and medical professionals across the country, and served as the division chief overseeing the most serious cases involving child victims. When she transitioned to family law, she brought that same level of preparation, analytical rigor, and courtroom skill to every custody and divorce case she handles.

When you hire The Price Firm, your case is handled by an attorney, not delegated to a paralegal or a case manager. You communicate directly with your lawyer, and your calls and emails are returned promptly.

We believe that effective communication is not a luxury. It is a fundamental part of competent representation.

We give our clients an honest assessment of their case from the outset. If the facts favor you, we will tell you. If there are weaknesses, we will tell you that too, and we will develop a strategy to address them.

We do not overpromise, and we do not pursue litigation strategies designed to run up fees. Our goal is to achieve the best possible result as efficiently as the case allows.

Our office is in Plano, and we practice in the Collin County courts regularly. We know the local rules, the judges, the opposing attorneys, and the practical realities of family law litigation in this jurisdiction.

That local knowledge translates directly into better advice and more effective advocacy for our clients.