Practice Areas

Divorce

A divorce is necessary when one or both parties to a marriage decide to end the marriage. In Texas, the primary issues in a divorce are division of the property, debt, and children. Divorces range from the simple (no property, no debt, and no children) to the extremely complex (closely held corporations, complicated debt and/or investment situations, children, domestic violence, substance abuse, adultery, etc.). Children are often the most difficult part of the divorce process and Sequoyah Perry, Jr. has over two decades of experience in handling custody disputes within divorces.

Texas law has specific requirements for a divorce. Sequoyah's office can help walk you through this difficult process so that you can end your marriage in the least painful way possible. Sequoyah can provide you with excellent legal advice, litigation support and services, deeds, powers of attorney, qualified domestic relations orders, and most other documents necessary to finalize your divorce. Every divorce is different and Sequoyah's decades of experience will help you select the best course of action for your divorce.

Child Custody

Child custody determinations have long lasting effects on both children and parents. The best opportunity to obtain custody of a child is always at the first hearing regarding that child. These determinations can be difficult to change because any change involves changing the child's home. Child custody litigation is complex because there are so many factors that are taken into account when a custody determination is made. Having an experienced attorney very early on in the process is critical to achieving the best results possible in your situation. Sequoyah Perry, Jr. has both the experience and the skills to help you with your custody case and he has the resources necessary to litigate child custody cases.

Child Support

The non-custodial parent (the parent the child doesn't live with) is typically ordered by the court to pay child support to the custodial parent and to either provide health insurance for the child or reimburse the custodial parent for the cost of health insurance for the child. Texas has a specific formula for calculating child support, but the law does allow for deviations based on unusual situations. Child support is usually paid monthly until a child is eighteen years old AND out of high school. That can be VERY EXPENSIVE! Texas law allows for retroactive child support in certain situations. The Texas Attorney General's Office provides slow but free legal representation to custodial parents who seek to receive court ordered child support. This fact, coupled with the potentially large dollar amounts involved make it important to have an experienced attorney like Sequoyah Perry, Jr. when you are seeking child support or are being asked to pay it.

Enforcement

Enforcement litigation arises in Texas family law when a party to a previous order fails to abide by it. This can relate to the property in a divorce, but is most commonly due to a parent's failure to pay child support, or to allow visitation per the court order. Sequoyah Perry, Jr. has handled hundreds of enforcement actions and has extensive experience both prosecuting and defending enforcement actions. Sequoyah's office can calculate child support arrearages, spreadsheet uninsured medical expense claims, count lost visitation days, and has resources to assist you in locating "deadbeat" parents that have disappeared.

Modification

Modifications of Texas court orders related to children are becoming more and more common. It can become necessary to modify an order when one of the parents moves or wants to move, changes jobs, gets married, has additional children, or there are major changes in the children's lives to the extent that the old order is no longer workable. Modifications can be done by agreement or by allowing a judge or jury to decide the issues. Sequoyah Perry, Jr. has tried many modifications to juries and judges and can help you with yours. His years of experience litigating modifications gives him the tools necessary to assist you with yours.

Grandparents Rights

More and more, grandparents are raising their grandchildren. Because Texas law has limited a grandparent's right to seek custody and/or visitation of grandchildren, the law of standing (when a party has a right to initiate or intervene in litigation) is always the first issue for grandparents or other close relatives. Once standing is achieved by a grandparent or other relative, it can be lost if litigation is not initiated in a timely manner. It is important to get the good legal guidance that Sequoyah Perry, Jr. can provide to you in these situations as soon as you realize that you may need legal help.

Paternity Issues

An informational DNA test can now be performed with an over the counter cheek swab test that is available for about $100.00 at most pharmacies. I recommend doing this anytime there is any question of paternity because the cost of the test is minimal compared to the cost of paying child support for years. Once paternity is determined, then the issues of custody, child support, visitation, and health insurance must be addressed. Sequoyah's office has years of experience in these matters and will gladly assist you in getting orders in place on paternity cases.

Adoption

An adoption in Texas consists of the termination of the parental rights of the biological parent(s) and the adoption by the adopting parent(s). It can be a complicated process and requires a knowledgeable attorney like Sequoyah Perry, Jr. to make sure it is handled in a legally binding and permanent manner.