Dallas Family Law Blog | The Shapiro Law Firm

Drunk or diabetic? Defend yourself if there's confusion

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Friday, June 26, 2020.

You were driving your child home when you started to feel a little unwell. You weaved out of your lane but corrected your vehicle as soon as you could. As soon as you were able, you pulled over to the side of the road where you saw a police officer pull over behind you. They came up and asked if you'd been drinking.

You told them you had started to feel unwell, but the smell of alcohol on your breath made them think you'd been drinking. You tried to explain that you had type II diabetes, but the officer was already going through the process of testing you with a Breathalyzer. You later took your blood sugar and saw it was fine, but that didn't mean that it was in the moment of the stop.

How are assets divided in Texas divorces?

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Thursday, June 11, 2020.

If you are going through a divorce, you'll need to have a good understanding of the state law so that you can ensure that you get the divorce settlement that you deserve. If you intend to file for a divorce in Texas, arm yourself with the knowledge of how Texas laws govern the process.

Completing a divorce means that you will need to find a way to divide the assets that you have acquired during your partnership. If you and your spouse have been married for many years, this can be particularly challenging. The law in Texas controls how assets and debts are divided in Texas divorces. The following is an overview of these laws and their associated implications.

If your teen is accused of distributing drugs, get the full story

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.

Your teenager has always been a good kid. They've never caused many problems, and you thought that they knew not to use drugs or to get involved with them.

You were shocked when you got a phone call from the police saying that they'd been arrested and were waiting at the station. You hurried there to find out that they'd been accused of drug trafficking. Your teen vehemently disagreed with that accusation, but you knew you'd need to get to the bottom of things.

Driving while impaired? You could face serious penalties

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Tuesday, May 12, 2020.

Driving while intoxicated is a big deal in Texas. Though it may not be taken as seriously in some other states, driving while drunk can land you serious fines and penalties in Texas.

The Texas Department of Transportation has made it easy for people to find out about the charges and penalties they could face if they choose to drive while impaired. For instance, did you know that you could be fined up to $10,000 if you're caught drinking and driving with a minor age 15 or younger in your vehicle?

Attorney Todd Shapiro Appears on The Ticket Sportsradio for Criminal Law Roundtable On-Air Discussion

By Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm posted in blog on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

Attorney Todd Shapiro Appeared on The Ticket Sportsradio for Criminal Law Roundtable On-Air Discussion in February 2020. Attorney Shapiro was joined by a select group of criminal defense attorneys to speak on all facets of the criminal justice system in the U.S.

Preparing your child for adulthood while co-parenting

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Friday, April 10, 2020.

Parents have a lot of work to do to get children ready for adulthood. Part of this involves slowly giving them new freedoms, but this can be rather challenging when you have a co-parenting situation. It is up to you and your coparent to determine how you're going to handle these situations. Ideally, you can work as a team to come up with the plan for slowly adding new freedom and responsibilities for your children.

One of the most important things to remember is that your children need to be able to learn how to be responsible. You and their other parent are going to be the teachers that they have to count on to learn different things. Be willing to help them, but don't forget that some children learn from making mistakes.

How do you put a fair price on your business during a divorce?

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Friday, April 3, 2020.

Whether you built your company from the ground up or inherited from a family member, your ownership of the business matters to you. You may want to keep the business in your family long-term or could even have dreams of selling the company in order to fund your retirement. Those plans could easily go up in smoke if you wind up forced to liquidate the business or share its ownership with your ex as part of your Texas divorce.

If you want to protect your ownership interest in the business, you need to begin strategizing as soon as you know that your marriage is likely over. In many cases, a business you start or run during your marriage, particularly if you invest marital assets in it, may be subject to property division laws, which requires that you put a price on the business before you begin negotiating or litigating your divorce.

Accused of doctor-shopping? You can fight back

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

Once upon a time not so very long ago, patients could visit various doctors and obtain multiple narcotics prescriptions with little fear of the legal consequences. The practice became known as "doctor-shopping," and it greatly contributed to the flood of opioid drugs into Texas towns and communities.

In short, it was a great scourge on families who then had to cope with the damages wrought by a loved one's drug addiction. In 2012, the state legislature took action to combat the problem. Now, the Texas Department of Public Safety maintains a database of all prescriptions filled here in the state for drugs that are monitored.

Do you think dissipation has impacted your marital estate?

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Monday, March 2, 2020.

When you go through a divorce, you typically have to either agree to terms before filing for an uncontested divorce or provide documentation to the courts regarding your marital assets so that the courts can divide those possessions and debts on your behalf.

In both outside negotiations, such as mediation, that lead to uncontested filings and contested divorce proceedings in court, accurate and thorough knowledge of your marital estate is critical to securing a fair outcome.

Is your prenuptial agreement ready for divorce?

On behalf of Todd Shapiro of The Shapiro Law Firm on Thursday, February 27, 2020.

Divorce is rarely a simple or easy process, no matter where a couple lives. In Texas, community property laws can make property division a frustrating experience, even for couples who are motivated to resolve conflicts fairly and quickly. Community property law requires couples to divide marital property equally, but a strong prenuptial agreement can help relieve some of this tension.

If you face divorce in Texas and have a prenuptial agreement, you may have a more streamlined divorce than you would otherwise. However, if your prenuptial agreement contains errors or other weaknesses, this may create additional complications. As you move forward with the divorce process, be sure to examine your prenuptial agreement closely to identify potential problems before they occur.