McEachern Law Firm

04/17/2026

Reel Talk.

COMMON LAW (INFORMAL) MARRIAGES: you don't necessarily need a ceremony and wedding rings to be considered married in Texas. If you meet ALL of the following three (3) requirements, Texas law may characterize you as married without having a ceremony in a church or before a judge:

1. LIVING TOGETHER IN TEXAS AS SPOUSES: You must cohabitate in Texas as a couple;

2. HOLDING OUT TO OTHERS AS MARRIED: You present yourselves publicly as married (e.g., introducing each other as husband/wife, filing taxes together, using the same last name, etc); and

3. PRESENT AGREEMENT TO BE MARRIED: Both people must agree that they are presently married (not just dating or engaged for marriage at a later date).

This is important, because all property accumulated during a "marriage" is presumed to be "community property," subject to a just and right division in a divorce. So, be informed, and if necessary, contact our office to discuss.

03/24/2026

Our office is currently experiencing a local internet outage that's affecting our phone system. Please send an email if you are unable to get through by phone.

01/25/2026

Orange County peeps:

Orange County Jury Duty for Monday January 26, 2026 has been rescheduled for Tuesday January 27, 2026 due to inclement weather.

01/25/2026

LIBERTY COUNTY PEEPS:

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01/24/2026

Reel Talk.

CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENTS: If you are court-ordered to pay child support, ALL payments are to be sent through the child support state disbursement unit ("SDU"), which is a P.O. Box in San Antonio, where the state keeps a record of the payments received. Any payments sent directly to the other parent, and not through the SDU, by law, may be considered "a gift" and not credited towards your obligation. However, if you have made payments directly to the other parent, and have documented proof (NOT CASH), many of your local Judges will consider giving you credit against your obligation for those payments, in fairness, but you will need to hire a family law attorney familiar with this process to file a motion to do so. If you have child support issues, call our office for an appointment to discuss with a former Assistant Attorney General from the OAG's Child Support Division.

12/26/2025

For those waiting to get through Christmas 🎄🎅 before filing for divorce, our office will reopen on January 5, 2026.
More information is available at www.beaumontfamilylaw.com
See you next year!

At Beaumont Family Law.com, the McEachern Law Firm stands by your side with compassion and experience when your family needs it most.

12/07/2025

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11/19/2025

Reel Talk.

SEPARATE PROPERTY AND DIVORCE: In Texas, separate property is owned by a spouse (1) before marriage, or (2) acquired during the marriage by (a) gift, (b) inheritance, or (c) as a personal injury award (excluding lost wages). The Court CANNOT divide separate property in a divorce and, if sufficiently proven, must remain with the original owner. Importantly, to prove something is separate property in a divorce, one must present CLEAR AND CONVINCING evidence, such as pre-marital documents, inheritance papers, or gift documentation. It is also extremely important to avoid mixing (called commingling) one's separate property with community property that is jointly-owned with a spouse, particularly with financial accounts.

Contact a local, experienced family law attorney if you have questions about protecting your separate property in the unfortunate event of a divorce.

11/01/2025

Reel Talk.

WEEKEND VISITATION: If your child custody order has "standard visitation" for the non-primary parent, it probably reads visitation on the 1st, 3rd & 5th WEEKENDS. So, how do you determine the number of each weekend for the month? You count the FRIDAYS. Example: Friday, Oct 31, 2025 is the 5th Friday in October, making it the 5th weekend. Of course, the next weekend, Friday, Nov. 7, would be the 1st Friday and weekend in Nov, which will likely result in the rare back-to-back weekends for the non-primary parent to be entitled to visitation.

Be familiar with your custody orders, and if you have difficulty understanding or need some clarification, contact your local, experienced family law attorney.

10/25/2025

Our new sign finally came in!