Happy Independence Day! Late last week, the Texas Supreme Court issued a number of opinions relating to family law. We'll give a brief summary of the outcomes below.

In the first case, In re Marriage of I.C., a woman blew her chance at a $5,000,000 lump-sum payout upon entry of divorce. She and her husband had signed a premarital agreement providing that she would receive $5,000,000 if the two of them were to divorce.

This might sound unlikely, but it does come up. What can a couple do if they have already finalized their divorce, and they decide they made a mistake? Can they remain married? Can they annul the divorce? Keep reading to find out.

My wife made criminal accusations against me and filed for a divorce and TRO. The TRO affidavits were based on those criminal charges. Two years later, those criminal charges have been dismissed. How do I get the TRO dropped? Keep reading for more.

Q: I've been told that once I become married, everything will become community property. Is this right? I have a house I've already paid off. My fiance also has her own house, and she's almost paid off the mortgage. Is it true that these houses will become community property once we're married? What will my fiance's house be if I make some of the mortgage payments after we're married?

Let’s begin with some unfortunate truths.  Although many couples begin their marriages in love and with the best intentions, roughly half of marriages in the United States result in divorce.  For a married couple with a child, even the most civil and amicable of divorces will worry and frustrate their young child.

EARTH-SHATTERING CHANGE:

Children of divorcing parents are confronted with issues such as change and loss.  They may wonder where they will live, where they will go to school, whether they will lose their friends, whether they will lose their mother or their father, whether the divorce is their fault, whether mommy and daddy still love each other, and whether mommy and daddy still love them.  They will likely experience feelings of nervousness, worry, self-doubt, and insecurity.

All children are different, and thus, they react differently.  The child of a divorcing couple may act out by becoming more mischievous and defiant, or he may become more clingy and in need of attention.   The child might be openly sad or angry, or more isolated, quiet, and withdrawn.

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO?  Read more to find out.