Chris A. Spofford

Chris A. Spofford is a Houston-based divorce and family law attorney with over 30 years of experience. He has assisted thousands of Texans in navigating the complex waters of divorce and family law matters.

Chris was among the first lawyers in Texas to be trained in Collaborative Divorce in 2000. He has distinguished himself in both intense courtroom trials and through innovative alternatives such as divorce mediation and collaborative family law.

  • When The Elderly Need A Divorce

    ByChris A. Spofford

    As Baby Boomers enter the elderly population and advances in medical science continue to extend our lives, the elder population is now booming. A generation ago, it was uncommon to see elderly divorce between couples over 60. That is no longer the case. Divorce is becoming common for couples in their 60s and 70s and even in their 80s. Divorce Property Settlement The primary concerns of the elderly in divorce differ from their younger counterparts. Couples seeking divorce after 60 are likely to be at or near retirement. Typically, this means that you are dealing with an estate that is as large as it will ever be. There will be little or no time after the divorce for the parties to earn sufficient income to recoup assets awarded to…

  • Co-Parenting After Divorce

    ByChris A. Spofford

    Many divorcing parents want to be able to work with the other parent in raising their children. We refer to this in legal terminology as Co-Parenting. There can be as many ways to co-parent as there are parents. There are a number of publications (online and in print) that provide details for the best way to co-parent your children after divorce. Websites have been created to assist parents with scheduling and communication. One that is favored by many courts in the Greater Houston Area is Our Family Wizard. In-person parenting classes are offered that can provide you with in-depth training on how to approach co-parenting after divorce. Here is a short list of pointers to minimize any hostility between the parents and nurture a healthy environment for your children:

  • Protect Your Family Interests by Hiring a Family Law Attorney

    ByChris A. Spofford

    Your future, your children’s future and your financial stability are important and must be protected Why it is important to hire an attorney that specializes in family law to represent you in ANY family law case: Many people might suggest that my point of view on this is biased because I make my living by working for an attorney, but that is not the case. I have witnessed personally the disasters that happen when people choose to represent themselves pro se in divorce or other family law cases. It does not matter how smart you are or how much you study up on the law, unless you practice Family Law in Texas, there are still things you can miss that will cost you in the end. It should be telling that even attorneys decide…

  • Child Custody Changes in the 85th Texas Legislature

    ByChris A. Spofford

    The Texas Legislature closed the 2017 session on May 29. Several laws were passed that affect Texas Family Law. Here is one small – yet important – child custody change in the statute that governs modification of an order for the Conservatorship, Support, or Possession and Access to a Child. Temporary Orders in a Suit to Modify Primary Conservatorship What the new language states is that – in cases where no parent has been granted the exclusive right to determine the child’s primary residence (primary conservatorship) – a court may not create a temporary order that has the effect of granting one parent this exclusive right. And also, no temporary order may be created that has the effect of changing or eliminating the geographic area within which a parent must maintain the child’s primary…

  • Child Custody Evaluation: Changes to Texas Family Law

    ByChris A. Spofford

    Texas Family Law Changes in the 85th Texas Legislature The Texas Legislature closed its biannual session for 2017. Although a Special Session may be called by Governor Abbott, it will not affect any Family Law issues. The Legislature did pass several bills that impact Texas Family Law. Here is one. Child Custody Evaluation The statute dealing with Child Custody Evaluations was revised this year. A significant change now offers more protection to child custody evaluators from being liable for civil damages arising out of the evaluator’s actions, recommendations made or opinion given in their capacity as a child custody evaluator. These protections have been in place for a guardian ad litem, attorney ad litem, and amicus attorneys for some time now. Finally those protections have been extended to…

  • Texas Family Law in the 84th Texas Legislature

    ByChris A. Spofford

    84th Texas Legislature Begins January 13, 2015 The Texas Legislature will convene on Tuesday, January 13 and run through June 1, 2015. The Law Office of Chris A. Spofford will watch the topics related to Texas Family Law and provide legislative updates and insight to our friends and clients about the 2015 Texas legislative session. As always, it is our commitment to be proactive in protecting our clients’ interests under Texas Family Law, which will continually evolve at the legislature and in the courts.

  • Paternity and the Texas Family Code – How Long Do You Have To Prove You Are the Dad?

    ByChris A. Spofford

    Who is a father? Your paternal rights under Texas Family Law can be protected This may seem a silly question, but it isn’t. Understanding how Texas Family Law defines “paternity” is extremely important when determining who has standing (the legal right) to file a suit to adjudicate parentage (a lawsuit to determine who is the child’s father). Most commonly, when the child results from sex between unmarried people, the father of the child is determined either by a lawsuit adjudicating the paternity of the child or by the father’s acknowledgment of paternity through the Texas Paternity Registry. You Think You Might Be a Father If you are not married to the mother (or mother-to-be) of the child, there are several things you should be aware of that should…

  • Divorcing As Non-Native Texans: Divorce Laws in Texas for Property in or Accumulated in Another State

    ByChris A. Spofford

    How community property and other concerns are handled under divorce laws in Texas compared to out of state divorce laws The Law Office of Chris Spofford guides clients through jurisdiction issues with divorce laws in Texas You were married in another state prior to moving to Texas. Unfortunately, you and your spouse have separated and are seeking a divorce. Which state’s laws apply? Do divorce laws in Texas prevail over out of state divorce laws? Are you entitled to alimony for the time you were married and lived in the other state? If that state was a common law state, where no community property was created, what happens to property acquired in that state before moving to Texas? Do you have a premarital agreement (often referred to as…

  • Child Support Guidelines and Additional Support Above and Beyond The Guidelines

    ByChris A. Spofford

    Child Support Guidelines Guidelines for ensuring proper child support Generally, child support is owed by the parent who does not have primary custody, the non-possessory parent (who is also called the obligor), to the possessory parent who does have primary custody (also called the the obligee). The amount of child support owed is determined by guidelines that apply a statutory percentage to the obligor’s net resources (gross income, less social security taxes and the federal income tax withholding for a single person claiming one personal exemption and the standard deduction). Tex. Fam. Code § 154.061 The easiest way to estimate an obligor’s net resources is to review the tax charts published by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas. Child support guidelines are designed to apply to situations in which the obligor’s monthly net resources are not greater than $7,500 or the…

  • Grounds for Termination of Parental Rights Under Texas Family Law

    ByChris A. Spofford

    Texas Family Law and parental rights In Texas Family Law, the most common grounds for termination of parental rights in a step-parent adoption are: To make the step-parent adoption process go as smoothly as possible under Texas Family Law, every effort should be made to gain consent of the absent parent. There many remedies that we can pursue in helping you to achieve this and to make other preparations, including achieving a court order terminating the former parent, if necessary. Provisions in Texas Family Law Some of the provisions outlined in Texas Family Code § 161.001 that can support a termination of the parent-child relationship, if found to be in the best interest of the child, are: Under Texas Family Code § 161.002, an alleged biological father can have his…