When Your Family’s Future Hangs in the Balance, Every Decision Matters.
Right now, you’re facing decisions that will impact your children’s lives, your financial security, and your family’s future for years to come. One wrong move could cost you precious time with your children. One overlooked detail could drain your retirement savings. One unprepared attorney could leave you starting over from nothing.
You didn’t plan for this. But here you are, where judges make life-changing decisions about families just like yours every single day. Frisco’s rapid growth as a destination for corporate headquarters and professional families creates unique challenges that require experienced legal representation familiar with this community’s expectations.
Here’s what successful Frisco families already know: The attorney you choose in the next few days will determine whether you protect what matters most… or lose it forever.
For over 35 years, the Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy has helped North Texas families go through their most difficult moments and emerge stronger. We understand the pressures facing modern families and fight to protect what matters most to you.
Your children need you. Your future depends on the choices you make right now.
Don’t let another day pass wondering if you’re making the right decisions, reach our to our Frisco divorce lawyer today.
Why Choose Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy for Family Law in Frisco
Frisco’s transformation into a major business hub creates distinct challenges for families facing legal issues. Our approach recognizes that Frisco residents often balance demanding careers with family responsibilities while building their futures in one of Texas’s fastest-growing communities.
With over 35 years of combined legal experience, Attorney Richard C. McConathy and his team understand the specific pressures facing modern families. Our knowledge of Texas family law, combined with experience serving corporate executives, relocated professionals, and ambitious families, provides strategic advantages in achieving favorable outcomes.
We’ve successfully handled thousands of family law cases throughout North Texas, with particular expertise addressing challenges common to today’s families: corporate relocations, complex compensation packages, and the demanding schedules required in competitive professional environments.
Our full-service practice addresses the complex needs of Frisco families, from high-asset divorces involving executive compensation to custody arrangements that accommodate professional travel and children’s activities. Whether dealing with relocation issues or property division involving substantial assets, we provide integrated legal services.
We understand that modern families face unique pressures involving career demands, family commitments, and the substantial investments required to maintain their lifestyle. Our comprehensive approach ensures that family law decisions support rather than undermine your professional success and family goals.
💡 Legal strategies built around each client’s career pressures, parenting priorities, and future plans.
Every client receives personalized attention that respects both their professional achievements and family priorities. We recognize that many Frisco residents expect excellence in all aspects of their lives, requiring legal representation that matches their standards and knowledge.
Our commitment includes accommodating demanding work schedules, knowing the pressures of executive-level positions, and developing legal strategies that consider both current success and future opportunities in Frisco’s competitive professional environment.
The Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy has earned recognition from Expertise.com as one of the Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Dallas, demonstrating our commitment to legal excellence. Our reputation for integrity and results makes us a trusted choice for Frisco’s discerning families.
Attorney Richard C. McConathy is a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist and former Treasurer of the Dallas Bar Association Criminal Law Section, bringing additional expertise particularly valuable for clients concerned about how legal proceedings might affect their professional standing or business relationships.
Comprehensive Family Law Services
At our family law practice serving Frisco, we provide comprehensive legal services tailored to the unique needs of this dynamic community, with particular attention to the corporate demands and lifestyle considerations that characterize successful families.
Child Custody Frisco
Protecting your parental rights while accommodating demanding work schedules and children’s activities is our priority in custody matters. We advocate for child custody arrangements that serve your children’s best interests while recognizing the realities of business travel, work obligations, and the busy lifestyle that drives many families.
We handle custody disputes with particular attention to maintaining children’s participation in their activities, accommodating potential relocations, and ensuring that custody arrangements support rather than hinder both parental success and children’s opportunities.
Additionally, we advise parents on how DWI convictions can impact custody, helping them go through legal challenges that may jeopardize their rights or parenting time.
Child Support Frisco
Ensuring fair child support arrangements requires knowing complex compensation structures, including stock options, performance bonuses, relocation packages, and the substantial expenses associated with children’s education and activities. We work to establish support orders that accurately reflect both income realities and children’s actual needs.
Our experience with corporate compensation allows us to handle sophisticated income calculations involving executive pay, benefits packages, and the variable income structures common among professionals and business owners.
Common Law Marriage
Texas recognizes common law marriages under specific circumstances, and we provide legal support for establishing or challenging these claims. This expertise is particularly relevant for mobile professional communities, where relationship questions often arise in the context of relocations, career advancement, and lifestyle transitions.
Contested Divorce Frisco
High-conflict divorce proceedings require experienced counsel capable of handling complex disputes involving corporate assets, valuable properties, and sophisticated financial arrangements. We provide strategic representation that protects clients’ interests.
Our approach to contested divorce combines thorough preparation with skilled advocacy, knowing that professionals often face unique considerations regarding business relationships, professional reputation, and career interests that must be preserved throughout legal proceedings.
Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders
Your safety is paramount, and we provide immediate legal action to protect you and your loved ones in domestic violence situations. Our team handles protective orders with sensitivity to the professional and community pressures facing families, ensuring protection while considering work obligations and children’s activities.
Property Division
Complex asset division requires thorough analysis and strategic planning, particularly important for families with corporate benefits, valuable properties, and substantial investment portfolios. We address intricate property division, including business equity, real estate investments, and executive compensation, with expertise and attention to detail.
| Asset Type | Considerations | Our Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate Stock Options | Vesting schedules, tax implications | Expert valuation and timing analysis |
| Real Estate | Market appreciation, location value | Comprehensive appraisal coordination |
| Business Interests | Ownership percentages, growth potential | Professional business valuation |
| Executive Benefits | Retirement plans, deferred compensation | Detailed benefit analysis |
Spousal Maintenance (Alimony)
Fair spousal support arrangements must reflect financial needs, contributions, and future circumstances while considering the substantial lifestyle investments common in affluent communities. We work to secure appropriate spousal maintenance that provides security while being realistic about complex financial situations and high living costs.
Prenuptial Agreements
Protecting your future through comprehensive prenuptial agreements provides security for successful professionals and business owners. We create enforceable agreements that address corporate benefits, business interests, and valuable assets with the sophistication your situation requires.
Additional Services We Provide
- Contempt Proceedings – Enforcing court orders when they’re violated
- Dividing the Marital Home – Handling real estate in divorce proceedings
- Divorce for Business Owners – Protecting business interests during divorce
- High Net Worth Divorce – Managing complex asset division
- Divorce Negotiations – Seeking resolution outside the court when possible
- Enforcement of Orders – Ensuring compliance with court orders
- Estate Planning – Coordinating family law with long-term planning
- Modifications – Updating orders when circumstances change
- Grandparent Rights – Protecting grandparent-grandchild relationships
- Marital Agreements – Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
Take control of your future—schedule your free consultation with our Frisco family lawyer today.
Understanding Texas Family Law in Frisco
Texas family law operates under specific statutes and precedents that directly impact how your case will be handled. Knowing these fundamentals helps you make informed decisions about your family’s future.
⚖️ Accurate tracing of separate vs. marital assets becomes especially important when wealth accumulation involves stock, bonuses, or pre-marital businesses.
Texas follows community property principles, meaning that assets acquired during marriage are generally considered jointly owned. This includes corporate stock options that vest during marriage, business growth that occurs while married, and property appreciation on assets purchased with marital funds.
However, separate property remains individual property. This includes assets owned before marriage, gifts received individually, and inheritances. The challenge often lies in tracing separate property contributions and preventing commingling that could convert separate property to community property.
Texas courts prioritize the child’s best interest in custody determinations. Factors considered include:
- The child’s physical and emotional needs
- Each parent’s ability to provide stability
- The child’s preferences (if age-appropriate)
- Each parent’s parenting abilities
- Any history of family violence
For modern families, courts also consider how proposed arrangements support the child’s educational opportunities, extracurricular activities, and social development within their established community.
Texas law requires a material and substantial change in circumstances to modify existing court orders. Common triggers include:
- Job promotions requiring relocation
- Significant changes in income or benefits
- Changes in children’s needs or activities
- Remarriage affecting household dynamics
Local Frisco Resources for Families in Transition
Frisco families facing legal challenges can benefit from numerous local resources designed to provide support during difficult transitions.
Frisco Independent School District is nationally recognized for educational excellence, providing comprehensive student support services for students whose families are experiencing transitions. School counselors work closely with parents to ensure children maintain their academic performance and emotional well-being during family changes.
The district’s commitment to student success includes specialized support services designed to help children stay on track with coursework, extracurricular activities, and college preparation during difficult family circumstances.
The City of Frisco Parks and Recreation Department offers extensive family programs and recreational activities that provide stability and community connection for children and families during transitions. Their facilities serve as gathering places where families can maintain social connections and children can continue participating in activities they enjoy.
Families dealing with domestic violence situations can access comprehensive services through regional programs serving Collin and Denton Counties, providing emergency shelter, counseling, and legal advocacy.
Professional counseling helps families manage the emotional aspects of divorce and custody changes while maintaining focus on career success and children’s development. Surrounding healthcare facilities offer specialized family therapy services and child psychology resources.
Frisco’s position as a business destination means that many employers offer Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) that provide counseling services, legal referrals, and family support resources. Major corporations often provide comprehensive benefits that can support families during transitions.
Hypothetical Scenarios: Common Family Law Situations
The following scenarios are hypothetical examples created for educational purposes and do not represent actual cases handled by our firm.
Scenario: Sarah, a marketing executive, receives a promotion requiring relocation to California. Her ex-husband objects to their 12-year-old daughter moving, citing the child’s established friendships and activities in Frisco.
Legal Considerations: Texas courts require relocating parents to demonstrate that the move serves the child’s best interest, not just the parent’s career advancement. Factors include educational opportunities, maintaining the parent-child relationship, and the child’s adjustment to the proposed change.
Strategic Approach: Documentation of enhanced opportunities, maintaining the child’s current activities through similar programs, and developing a comprehensive visitation plan that preserves the non-relocating parent’s relationship.
Scenario: Michael owns a successful technology consulting firm, while his wife Jennifer manages their household and is active in community organizations. After 15 years of marriage, they’re divorcing, and Jennifer seeks spousal maintenance and property division that reflects her contributions.
Legal Considerations: Business valuation becomes essential, particularly in separating pre-marital business value from marital growth. Jennifer’s contributions and career sacrifices factor into spousal maintenance calculations.
Strategic Approach: Professional business appraisal, documentation of both financial and non-financial contributions, and negotiating arrangements that provide security while preserving business operations.
Scenario: Ten-year-old Emma’s needs have changed significantly, requiring modifications to her current custody arrangement. Both parents want what’s best but disagree on how to adjust the schedule.
Legal Considerations: Courts consider whether proposed changes serve the child’s best interest and whether current orders substantially interfere with the child’s well-being or opportunities.
Strategic Approach: Demonstrating how modified arrangements serve the child’s needs while preserving meaningful relationships with both parents through practical scheduling solutions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a family lawyer do?
A family lawyer handles legal matters involving family relationships, including divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, and domestic violence cases. They provide legal advice, represent clients in court, negotiate settlements, and draft legal documents to protect their clients’ interests throughout family law proceedings.
How much does a family lawyer cost?
Family lawyer costs vary based on case complexity, attorney experience, and local market rates. Many attorneys charge hourly rates ranging from $250-$500, while some offer flat-fee services for straightforward cases. We provide free consultations and transparent pricing to help you understand costs upfront.
What questions should I ask during a consultation with a family lawyer?
Key questions include:
- What’s your experience with cases like mine?
- What are my legal options and likely outcomes?
- How do you charge for services?
- What’s your communication style and availability?
- How long might my case take?
- What documents should I gather?
- What strategy do you recommend for my situation?
How long does a divorce take in Texas?
Texas requires a 60-day waiting period from filing to finalization, but contested cases often take 6-12 months or longer. Factors affecting timeline include complexity of assets, custody disputes, and court scheduling. Cooperative approaches through negotiation typically resolve faster than contested litigation.
Can I move out of state with my children after divorce?
Texas courts require approval for relocation that significantly affects the other parent’s visitation rights. The relocating parent must demonstrate that the move serves the child’s best interest, considering factors like educational opportunities, family connections, and maintaining relationships with both parents.
What is community property in Texas?
Texas is a community property state, meaning assets acquired during marriage are generally owned equally by both spouses. This includes income, real estate purchased during marriage, and business growth that occurs while married. Separate property (owned before marriage or received as gifts/inheritance) remains individual property.
How is child support calculated in Texas?
Texas uses specific guidelines based on the paying parent’s net monthly income and number of children. The percentages are: 20% for one child, 25% for two children, 30% for three children, and so on. Courts may deviate from guidelines in cases involving high income or special circumstances.
Get Your Family Lawyer Free Consultation - Contact Us Now!
Don’t go through your family law challenges alone. The Law Offices of Richard C. McConathy offers free consultations to discuss your case and explore your legal options without financial obligation. Our experienced team understands the unique pressures facing modern families and is ready to provide guidance that protects your interests while preserving your professional and personal success.
Available for urgent matters – When family crises arise, we’re here to provide immediate legal guidance and protection that considers your work obligations, family commitments, and community involvement.
Contact us today by calling 197-230-38867 or visiting our contact page to schedule your free consultation. We’re available to discuss your case and provide the legal support you need while maintaining your family’s stability and professional momentum.