Family Law Articles

When you or your client are navigating shared custody while recovering from alcohol abuse, you look for a way to ensure the children are safe and rebuild trust. Parents struggling with alcohol abuse aren’t alone. The 2017 National Survey on Drug Use and Health found an estimated 10.6 million adults aged 26 and older abused or were dependent on alcohol within the previous year.

The Best Interests of the Child. These five words comprise a single standard used often in Family Law litigation across all 50 states. An evolving term, The Best Interests of the Child Standard requires that all custody and visitation discussions/agreements are made to foster and encourage the child’s happiness, security, mental health, and emotional development into young adulthood [1].

Alcohol Monitoring is best described as using a tested device to observe, detect, and record the percent of alcohol in the bloodstream. It is a reliable and effective tool used to measure sobriety in Addiction Treatment, Workplace Compliance, and Family Law. The frequency of monitoring varies depending on individual circumstances and severity, but is usually more frequent during periods of greater relapse risk.

As of 2018, there were 6.5 marriages and 2.9 divorces for every 1,000 people in the U.S., according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This data suggests that, while well-intentioned, about 45% of marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. Although the dissolution of marriage is difficult in any capacity, when children are involved, the situation becomes more complex.

KoonsFuller, established in 1978 by Bill Koons and Ken Fuller, is one of the first law firms in Texas to handle divorce and child custody exclusively. The KoonsFuller team consists of board-certified Family Law all-stars who work in 5 offices across the state of Texas.

Alcohol monitoring plays a pivotal role in many Family Law cases – it supports accountability, promotes child safety, and simplifies litigation. However, for alcohol monitoring systems to be effective and useful in court or mediation, they must also comprise of a thorough, yet easy-to-digest, reporting system.

Communication issues rank in the top five reasons relationships fail and are also commonly listed as irreconcilable differences in litigation. These communication issues can become severe when one party is dealing with alcohol abuse. Engaging with your spouse over these concerns about can be a difficult task.

By the age of 50 years-old, over 90 percent of people living in the United States get married. Yet the American Psychological Association estimates that 40 to 50 percent of those marriages end in divorce.Cases involving divorce nearly always require the assistance of Family Law attorneys. When alcohol abuse is present in the case as well, the situation becomes even more complex.

As painful as splitting up can be, divorce can be a passage to a happier life. Before that can happen, however, most couples go through months of stress and sadness. This time can be made a little less difficult by good communication practices. Ironic though it may be, the need for effective communication during marriage is matched by its importance during the dissolution of a marriage.

When parents get involved in a heated custody battle, the parent who loses primary custody may feel that the system is unfair. Maybe the parent feels the judge was biased, or that their lawyer did not fight hard enough for them. Even if they are still a capable and loving parent, instances where parents lose primary custody happen because it is in the best interest of the child.