Child Support
Texas child support follows statutory guidelines tied to the obligor's net resources and the number of children involved. Getting the numbers right from the start — and knowing when the numbers need to change — can make an enormous difference over the life of an order. I've been handling child support matters throughout Texas for 18 years.
If you have a court date coming, call now — (817) 382-8333.
How I approach it
Child support disputes — whether at the outset of a case or through a later modification — almost always follow the same three paths.
The first road is an agreed order. When both parties understand the guideline calculation and neither has a reason to dispute the income figures, reaching agreement on support is the most efficient outcome. The key is making sure the agreed amount actually reflects what the guidelines require — underdocumenting income at this stage creates problems for years.
The second road is mediation. When there's a dispute about income, what counts as net resources, or how special circumstances factor in, mediation gives both sides a structured environment to negotiate without a judge deciding. I come in prepared with the financial analysis — so you're negotiating from facts, not guesses.
The third road is litigation. Some obligors underreport income or structure their finances to minimize their apparent resources. When that's happening, litigation — with discovery — is the right tool. I know what to ask for and how to use what we find. Conversely, if you're the obligor and the calculation is wrong, a judge can fix it — but you need the right documentation and the right argument.
One resource worth knowing: the firm runs a free Texas Child Support Calculator — a useful starting point to understand the guideline range before your strategy session.
Related: Divorce · Child Custody · Modifications & Enforcement
The first step
The guideline calculation is a starting point — but net resources, additional children, special needs, and other factors all affect what the right number actually is. Your Plan of Action works through the specifics of your income picture and identifies the support outcome your facts support.
After that, it's pay-as-you-go — you always know the price before the work begins. No retainer to exhaust, no surprise invoices, no hourly meter.
Texas child support follows statutory guidelines based on the obligor's net resources — gross income minus certain deductions — and the number of children being supported. The calculation can also be affected by things like additional children in other households and other circumstances. The free Texas Child Support Calculator gives you a guideline estimate, but your Plan of Action will work through your actual numbers.
Yes — a court can deviate from the guideline amount if the circumstances warrant it and the deviation is in the children's best interest. But deviation requires a specific finding, and not every situation qualifies. Your Plan of Action will tell you whether there's a credible argument for deviation in your case and what it would take to make it.
This is one of the most common child support disputes I handle. Self-employment, cash income, business ownership, and expense-shifting can all obscure what someone actually earns. In litigation I use discovery tools — subpoenas, interrogatories, deposition — to get the real picture in front of the court. Starting with a Plan of Action lets us assess what the income picture looks like and decide whether the case warrants that level of effort.
No — and this is important. In Texas, possession and support are independent obligations. You cannot withhold court-ordered visitation because support isn't being paid, and the other parent cannot refuse to pay support because visitation isn't happening. Taking either of those steps puts you in contempt, not the other parent. If support isn't being paid, there are proper enforcement remedies — see the enforcement page for how those work.
A modification requires showing a material and substantial change in circumstances — a significant change in income on either side, a change in the children's needs, or other qualifying factors can support a modification. See the modifications and enforcement page for more detail, or start with a Plan of Action and I'll tell you whether your change clears the bar.
The $500 Case Review & Plan of Action maps out the right support amount for your facts and the most efficient path to get there — before you spend a dollar more.
If you have a court date coming, call now — (817) 382-8333.