One on Wednesday™ –
Types of Divorce
Jill O’Connell:
What’s the difference between the different types of divorces? Well, I’m Jill O’Connell, and this is One on Wednesday™, and I’m here to tell you about three different types of divorces and the basic differences between them.
Traditional divorce is usually litigation and it’s what we might call a contested divorce. It is what you might see on TV. What you might picture in your head with spouse A and spouse B having multiple disagreements about multiple issues in the divorce.
An uncontested divorce is less about traditional litigation and it may be that spouse A and spouse B both think that divorce is the right decision. And they may or may not have some agreements on some of the other issues that go into finalizing a divorce, which are property issues, debt issues, liabilities, and then children issues. If there are any children, we would look at child support and time with each parent, parenting plan or a possession schedule. And they may not have agreements on all that, but are of the mindset that they want to work towards an agreement.
Then there is what I would call an agreed divorce. Spouse A and spouse B are both in agreement on the divorce, and then they might have either everything else agreed upon or agreements in some areas and the idea that they’re going to work towards agreement in the other areas.
So uncontested divorce and agreed divorce are very similar, and sometimes it’s just a matter of time before an uncontested divorce really becomes an agreed divorce. And there are ways to do that using negotiation processes that can include mediation, online mediation right now, negotiation between the attorneys. The parties might come to agreements on their own, sitting informally. So those are the three main types of divorces and agreed divorce and uncontested divorce are really similar.
If you’ve got questions about your agreed divorce or uncontested divorce, you can give me a call. Jill O’Connell (972) 203-6644.
One on Wednesday™ –
Agreed Divorce
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, I’m Jill O’Connell. I want to talk to you today very quickly to give you an answer to a question I’ve gotten recently. What is an agreed divorce? Well, an agreed divorce is when one spouse and the other spouse have come to the decision mutually that divorce is the right choice for them. And they may even be in such agreement that they already have reached agreement regarding all of the issues or questions and their divorce about their property, about debts and liabilities, about their kids, all of those things they’ve already talked through and they’ve reached agreement on all of those terms. That is an agreed divorce and an agreed divorce can proceed in a couple of different ways. In my office, I am offering fixed fees or otherwise known flat fees for agreed divorces. And I do not represent two spouses. I only represent one of the spouses, but my purpose is to take those agreements and create a document that reflects those agreements.
Jill O’Connell:
And I can represent one spouse from the beginning of the case to the end of the case, and I even can represent a spouse who is not the one who’s hired the primary lawyer on the case, but rather the one who brings the prepared documents and has them reviewed before signing them. I help people understand what is written in petitions for divorce, what is written in waivers of service, what is written in agreed final decrees of divorce so that they can understand whether or not their agreements made them into the document accurately. So, in my office, for agreed divorces, I represent one spouse from the beginning to the end, and sometimes I represent the spouse who does not hire the lawyer in the beginning and I just review the documents and help that spouse understand them better. If you’ve got questions or think that you fit into that agreed divorce situation, call my office 972-203-6644. I’m in Lewisville. I’m Jill O’Connell.
One on Wednesday™ –
Legal Separation
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, I’m Jill O’Connell. This is One on Wednesday™. And today I want to give you a quick rundown on this question. What is legal separation? Well in Texas, the answer is easy. There is no such thing. You cannot be legally separated in Texas. This question, I think, is coming up because of the feeling of uncertainty, because of the Coronavirus, and questions about whether or not the court is open. Our Denton County Courts are open. Our District Clerk’s Office is open. I have been filing without even a speed bump since all of the restrictions began and I have concluded cases throughout the Coronavirus restrictions. And now as we’re opening, it’s just going to continue to get better as we move forward in opening up our businesses even with social distancing and all the restrictions.
But back to legal separation. There is no legal separation in Texas. So my question is if you’re considering that, why are you considering that? And if you don’t know the answer to that, you need to seek out advice about what your next step should be. You want to make the best decision to put yourself in the best position for a future that is as good as it can be and not harm yourself by making presumptions about what is going on in the courts and what is Texas law. So in a nutshell, what is legal separation? In Texas there is no legal separation. If you’ve got questions about legal separation, about divorce during Coronavirus, online mediation, or anything else call me Jill O’Connell (972) 203-6644.
One on Wednesday™ –
Divorce Tips
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, thanks for joining me. I am your host, Jill O’Connell for this edition of One on Wednesday. Today, I’m going to give you one of my favorite tips. Now, it’s my favorite, I’m not saying it’s easy but it is my favorite tip and it helps in all different parts of your divorce. But, again, it is one that you really have to be conscious of and you have to constantly remind yourself to make this choice. That is to begin to think about your options using just the thinking part of your brain, the business part of the divorce, and begin to end thinking about your communications with your spouse using the emotional part of your brain. Again, I know that it is much easier said than done, but it will help you keep your divorce moving forward and begin the untangling of your future life from the conflicts in your past.
Part of that is also beginning to become aware of your communication habits and how you communicate with your soon to be ex-spouse. When you become aware of it, then you can change it. Instead of reacting emotionally, like you might have in the past, you can respond focused on what you’re currently doing, which is untangling from each other’s lives and moving forward to a better, brighter future, and beginning to make some positive changes in that relationship. My favorite tip is to think about your reactions and your communications using the logic part of your brain, the business part of the divorce, and not the emotional part of your brain. Not easy, but it’s a good tip.
One on Wednesday™ –
Dealing With Stress During Divorce
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, this is One on Wednesday. I’m your host, Jill O’Connell. Thanks for joining me. Today I want to talk to you about an article I read over the weekend and it talked about that how long-term day-to-day stress takes a toll on all of us. And if you are in a divorce situation, you’ve got a heightened stress already. So I know that people going through divorce right now are experiencing untold depths of stress on a day-to-day basis. And you may even be in the situation where you’re living with your soon to be ex spouse or your ex spouse. That’s happening too.
Jill O’Connell:
And I want to say to you just as a tip because I’m back in my office, but I know that lots of people aren’t, that for your mental health and your physical health, those two things are important pieces of getting through your divorce well. And then beginning your future in the most positive and best way that you can. So take some time. If you haven’t seen my previous post with Jill Hawkins and tips for dealing with stress in this kind of situation, go take a look at it today. It’s so great. She’s got tips on there on just very easy things to do, but take the time to take care of yourself so that when we come out on the other side of this time of coronavirus quarantine, that you are the best that you can be. Thanks for listening today. I am Jill O’Connell. This is One on Wednesday.
One on Wednesday™ –
Coronavirus Update
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, this is One on Wednesday™ with Jill O’Connell, and I’m going to visit with you today about some things to think about if you’re feeling like your divorce or family law case has gotten stuck because of the coronavirus and COVID-19 restrictions on our courts. This time is coming somewhat to an end because the Denton County courts have been authorized to reopen and start setting some in-person hearings in the courtroom beyond the limited essential ones that they were doing before.
However, there is still going to be a backlog. Not everything is going to move as quickly as it once did, and it may never have felt quickly to you, but as quickly as it was, it’s not going to get back there right away. So, some things to consider are some ways to look at resolving your disputes with your soon to be ex-spouse or ex-spouse if it’s a family law case, and consider negotiation. The attorneys can negotiate by phone or email and go back and forth, and they can just use the tools that they have as attorneys to negotiate. Working with your attorney to figure out your goals and perhaps think about resolving through negotiation is the way to begin that process. Let your attorney know.
Secondly, mediation. In some circumstances, in person mediation can now happen and there’s still online mediation. That’s always a good option. And that’s important because you can even set a mediation for a shorter amount of time if you have some temporary issues that need to be met and you cannot get into the courtroom for a long time. Again, negotiation can also work there.
There’s also another informal settlement method that can be used if you’re on a speaking basis with your ex or soon to be ex, and you might be able to sit down and hammer out some ways to resolve the issues that you’ve got going on in your case. So, just here to encourage you, even if you’re backlogged, you can’t get into the courtroom, as soon as you would like to, there are some other means and ways to resolve your case outside of the courtroom. If you’ve got questions about any of those things, feel free to call me (972) 203-6644. I’m happy to visit with you about all of those methods and/or your case. If you’d like to I’m Jill O’Connell. This is One on Wednesday.
One on Wednesday™ –
Online Mediation
Jill O’Connell, Online Mediator:
Hi, I’m Jill O’Connell. I am going to visit with you today about online mediation. In this day and age with all of the coronavirus closings and reopenings and the different phases that we’re in, the courts are affected by the coronavirus too. And if you have an ongoing case, you already know that. I’m not telling you anything that’s coming as a surprise.
Jill O’Connell, Online Mediator:
But what is somewhat surprising to people is that mediations can still happen even if we can’t meet in person. Now in Texas, we do have the phases of reopening, and there are some qualifications in there. So, sometimes a mediation in person might be possible in the near future.
Jill O’Connell, Online Mediator:
But an online mediation can happen using an online platform. The mediator can still protect your privacy and your confidentiality by using the platform well and preparing you for the ways that that can be done. It is worth it if it keeps your case moving forward, if you are able to come to an agreement that you can live with, and if you are able to avoid what is going to be a backlog at the courthouse, and resolve your case in a way that might be more efficient and more cost efficient as well for you to consider online mediation.
Jill O’Connell, Online Mediator:
I’ve taken training. I am a trained online mediator bringing my years of mediation experience to the online platform. I’m available. If you have any questions, you can reach me at 972-203-6644.
One on Wednesday™ –
Certified Health & Wellness Coach
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Hi, I’m Jill O’Connell. This is One on Wednesday. I am a family law and divorce attorney in Lewisville, and you can reach me at 972-203-6644. I’m visiting today with National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Jill Hawkins about how we can be resilient during this time of the coronavirus pandemic. Jill, why don’t you start by telling us a little bit about yourself, where people can find more about you and then tell us those things that we’ve discussed that are such good practices we can incorporate right now.
Jill Hawkins:
Yeah. Jill, thank you so much for having me on. My name is Jill Hawkins. I do practice health and wellness coaching here in the North Texas area. You can find all of my information and you can contact me at hawkinswellness.com. But yeah, we’ve talked about the stress response and the brain and how when we’re in a situation like we are now, long extended periods of stress. Two things to know about the brain, emotions can flood the middle part of our brain and it cause a reaction with the stress response.
Jill Hawkins:
And the other thing that’s interesting is that our brains are hardwired for negativity. We actually have more neuron activity for negative. Both of these things keep us protected. They help us in times of danger, but we don’t want to be thinking we’re stressed. We don’t want to be reacting out of stress. What we want to do is slow all of that down and calm that down so that we can have better creative problem solving skills. So two activities that people can do to help alleviate the stress response. One of them is a practice of gratitude and you can do it at any time, any part of your day, when you’re feeling stress or emotion, just take three deep breaths and open your eyes and get present in reality of the moment and find three things that you’re grateful for and doing that can really help calm down those stress emotions and help open up your brain for better thinking.
Jill Hawkins:
The second activity is to start a What Went Well journal. At the end of the day, take a piece of paper or a journal and write down three things that went well that day, and that can overcome a critic in our head. And again, it’s a normal brain activity to think about negative, but what went well, three things that went well at the end of the day can actually help bring in more positivity. So those are two activities that can help us respond with creative thinking rather than react out of stress.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
All right, so gratitude practice any time of day and went well at the end of the day, those are some great tools to give us all a better perspective right now. Thanks for being with me today. I’m Jill O’Connell, this is One on Wednesday and you can find me or reach me at 972-203-6644. Thanks.
Jill Hawkins:
Bye-bye.
One on Wednesday™ – Randi Dukes Buying A House
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Hi, I’m Jill O’Connell, a family law and divorce attorney in Lewisville. And I am visiting today with Randi Dukes, realtor in Old Town Lewisville about how we can find a real estate agent, if we need one, during this coronavirus quarantine time. Randi, do you have any tips for us today?
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
I do. So I would say in this weird time, probably the best tip is ask your friends. Most people know somebody or worked with somebody that they loved. And that’s always a great way to connect with somebody. Buying or selling a home is such a personal time. And I think you should really have somebody that you click with, somebody that you just feel some kind of [inaudible 00:00:42] who you’re not afraid to ask a ton of questions, and that you feel is really working for you.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
And is that what you would tell your friends and family.
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
I would. You want somebody who understands your needs. Someone who’s going to get excited about the process, or commiserate the process. Buying and selling home. Isn’t always happy as you know, in your business. Sometimes it’s super joyful and sometimes it’s just really hard and you want somebody who will just walk that process with you and coach you through it.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Yeah, I agree. Thanks Randi. For those people who find themselves in that situation, as you said, either in a joyful moment or maybe a difficult moment, those are good tips to find a real estate agent. Randi is with repeat Realty in Old Town Lewisville, and you can find her on every social media. Thanks, Randi.
One on Wednesday™ – Randi Dukes Selling A Home
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Hi. I’m Jill O’Connell. This is One on Wednesday™. This is a little bit of a different version of One on Wednesday. Today I’ve got with me realtor, Randi Dukes, who is going to visit with me about what to do if you find yourself in the spot of having to sell your home during this time.
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
Right, because people do still have to buy and sell houses, despite the fact that we’re practicing social distancing and living in a time of quarantine. As you know, real estate is deemed essential, which is great news because people do need to buy and sell. So the market is still moving. It has slowed a bit in DFW, but we’re lucky that it is still moving. And because inventory is low in certain price ranges, houses are actually still moving really quickly. So that’s great. It’s exciting to see.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Let me stop you right there. So you are a real estate agent in the whole North Texas area. Would that be accurate?
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
That’s right. Yep.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Okay. And your office is located in-
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
Old Town Lewisville. I’m with Repeat Realty, which his right in the heart of Old Town Lewisville. So we service this entire area, all of North Texas really.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Great. So then if houses are selling because there is some low inventory, what and how are you doing that? Is it just business as usual or how are you proceeding?
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
It’s not quite business as usual. Like most markets, we’ve all had to change and get a little creative with what’s going on. So from start to finish, we’re still doing a lot of things the same. Somebody finds an agent, we write up a listing agreement for the home and then marketing looks a little bit different right now. So instead of having people trek through houses the way they always have for standard showings, a lot of people don’t want that type of traffic in their home.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Understandably, right?
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
Right. And some people do. So if the home is vacant or the client doesn’t mind people coming through, standard showings can still take place. Otherwise, we’re doing a lot of virtual showings. So I might walk through a house, FaceTime my client and show them the ins and outs. Open houses are looking a little different. Instead of a standard open house, there are a lot of virtual open houses taking place. So an agent would do a Facebook Live, showing people all of the quirks and mammies, quicks and crannies-
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Nooks and crannies?
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
What am I trying to say? Of the house. There are 360 videos being done. Just a lot of really creative ways. And then appraisals and inspections are still taking place as they always did. Those are also essential services. And closing is up to the title company, so they’re doing creative things as well. Curbside closings, where they bring papers out to the car, virtual closings, whatever they’re equipped to handle.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
So just taking whatever kind of creative precautions they can to keep everybody safe during this time.
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
Right. And agents are taking a lot of precautions, wearing gloves, wearing masks, practicing social distancing, wiping down surfaces when they do go to look- Really cautious.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
Great. So it’s not totally bad news, if somebody needs to sell a house right now and that’s definitely reassuring. And I just want to tell everybody, if they’re looking to reach Randi, she’s got a website. She’s on social media. She’s going to give you her phone number in a minute. And there are lots of ways to reach her, if you find yourself looking for a real estate agent right now. So Randi, again, is with Repeat Realty. She’s Randi Dukes, Realtor, on almost all social media. And Randi, remind us what your website is.
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
Right. My website is randidukesrealtor.com. So that’s easy to find. And you can reach me by email, phone, text, at 214-223-0443. And I’d love to chat with you just about the process of what it looks like to sell a house in this market.
Jill O’Connell, Attorney:
All right. Thanks, Randi.
Randi Dukes, Realtor:
Thanks.
One on Wednesday™ – Child Support Modification
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, I’m Jill, O’Connell the owner and attorney at O’Connell Law Firm, and today’s topic on One on Wednesday™ is child support modification. If you have experienced a reduction in income, a temporary furlough, or a total reduction of your income, you may be wondering if child support modification is right for you at this time.
Jill O’Connell:
And if you are receiving child support, you may be wondering those same questions for the person who’s paying child support and how that’s going to affect you. These types of circumstances are all going to be fact-specific, but it may be the situation that child support modification is appropriate at this time. If you’ve got questions about whether or not you can reduce your child support, you should reach out to an attorney and discuss what’s happened to your income and let them discuss the statutory factors that can enable you to get a reduction in your child support.
Jill O’Connell:
And if you are receiving child support, this may be something that you should consider as well in understanding what could be coming in the future for you and how you can plan for that as well. I am Jill O’Connell the owner and attorney at O’Connell Law Firm, and you can reach me at 972-203-6644. If you’ve got questions about child support or child support modification, you can call us and we’re happy to meet with you. Thanks.
One on Wednesday™ –
Perspective
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, I’m Jill O’Connell. This is One On Wednesday. Today I’d like to visit with you about perspective. Perspective is important to keep in mind in any family law or divorce case because research shows and tells us that divorce and family law issues are some of the biggest stressors that one can have as they go through life. And if you are there, you know that to be through, you don’t need research to tell you that. But perspective is an important thing to remember because you’re going to go through your case and it’s a journey. You’re going to go through different phases of the litigation process, whether you’re in formal litigation or you’re using some alternatives, and your emotional health is going to go on that journey as, uh, as your litigation goes. And it’s important to keep a good support system, to keep your perspective healthy and it’s important to realize that the lawyer’s part of your support system but not the entire part of your support system.
Jill O’Connell:
My perspective is different than a mental health professional, it’s different than a licensed counselor’s for sure. Your friends and your family have a different perspective entirely from both the mental health professional and your lawyer. This is important and good for you but also important to remember that everyone comes at your particular situation from a different perspective as well. So when you are going through that journey remember that you have a perspective and those in your support team have different perspectives. And when you’re listening to advice, taking advice, heeding their counsel, put all of that into the big picture and keep all of those at the forefront so that you have the best and the most healthy perspective that you can have in your situation.
Jill O’Connell:
Again, I’m Jill O’Connell. I am a family law and divorce attorney in Lewisville, Texas, O’Connell Law Firm. You can find us on the web, on social. You can find us on our website, oconnellfirm.com, and you can call us. I’m happy to meet with you, answer your questions and, uh, discuss any issues you might like to in a divorce or family law case. (940) 497-5454 and (972) 203-6644.
One on Wednesday™ – Texas Standard Possession
Video Transcript:
Jill O’Connell:
Hi. Do you find yourself asking questions about standard possession? Is your soon-to-be ex spouse may- maybe opposing counsel, maybe even your lawyer, keeps referring to standard possession and you’re just not sure what that means. I’m gonna give you a little bit of information today, very basic information about standard possession in Texas.
Jill O’Connell:
A question I get quite a bit is why is it called standard possession? Do we have to do it? Does everybody do it? I’m gonna answer that question very quickly; it’s called standard possession because that’s what the Texas Family Code refers to it as, and has titled it in that way. Not everybody getting a divorce in Texas has to use a standard possession and it does not apply to everyone because there are some options that you can choose. Who does it apply to? A standard possession schedule, can apply in your case to both parents. if a standard possession schedule is used, it will have terms for both parents. How does it have those terms included? The Family Code provides for parents being called conservators in a divorce decree. And that term that you can sometimes hear with that is conservatorship. And there are different types of conservators, but parents will be conservators in the decree as it refers to possession and access to their kids.
Jill O’Connell:
What else does it include, is- is very often, uh, a question I get. What kinds of things are in that standard possession schedule? It includes a school year schedule, it includes a summer schedule, it includes a holiday schedule, and some very, um, broadly applied terms and conditions basically rules to follow and follow the procedure and it includes provisions for when both parents live within 100 miles of each other. And when the parents do not live within 100 miles of each other.
Jill O’Connell:
These are just the basics. I hope that if you’ve got some basic questions, this has helped you. If we can help you understand more about standard possession, help you review your orders if you’re already divorced and you’re not sure, uh, what your supposed to be doing in your standard possession. You can call us at 940-497-5454. My team is waiting to help you with your case.
Jill O’Connell:
Jill O’Connell Lewisville, Texas.
One on Wednesday™ – Standard Possession Summer Notice
Video Transcript:
Jill O’Connell:
Hi. Today is April 1st. I’m Jill O’Connell, the owner and attorney at O’Connell Law Firm. And this is the COVID-19 version, episode of One on Wednesday™. And let’s be honest, uh, the days don’t go as we thought they would, uh, two weeks ago, three weeks ago. And, uh, I’m coming to you from my car, which is not, uh, my usual location. And, uh, we’re all having to make some adjustments.
Jill O’Connell:
Today I wanna remind you, that if you are a divorcing parent or a divorced parent, to take a look at your deadlines. You may have an April 1st deadline that you have to give notice for summer possession. So while that seems so far off and difficult to picture from where we are today, I’m gonna say, go on a hopeful note, plan for the best, hope for the best, plan for extended summer time with your kids, and if you’ve got an April 1st notice, give that notice today so you don’t miss anything. And if you don’t know, read your decree and find out if you do.
Jill O’Connell:
If you’ve got questions, I am, uh, still working. We are working in some different ways than, than traditionally. However, we’re available by phone, electronic conferencing, and, uh, other ways to help you through this time. You can reach us at 972-203-6644 and 940-497-5454. I’m in Louisville. Jill O’Connell, O’Connell Law Firm.
One on Wednesday™ – Mediation
Video Transcript:
Jill O’Connell:
Hi. I’m Jill O’Connell. This is One on Wednesday™. Today’s topic is about mediation. As you know, I’m an attorney, and I focus on divorce and family law. And you may not know I’m also a qualified mediator. I mediate privately, and I volunteer, uh, in a program in Denton County. And I mediate for others going through family law and divorce cases. And I use mediation in my practice as well.
Jill O’Connell:
So I often get questions about, uh, mediation, so I’m gonna tell you a little bit about what mediation is and what it looks like today. In a family law case, most often, uh, the mediation will begin with one party and, um, his or her attorney in one room and the other party and his or her attorney in the other room. And, um, the mediator goes between the two rooms. Most of the time, it begins that way. S-… The second part of mediation is that there is an offer and then a reply to that offer, and the negotiation will go back and forth. The mediator typically is the one who works through that negotiation in either room. And, uh, the attorneys and parties generally don’t see each other at all through the course of the mediation day.
Jill O’Connell:
And then finally at the end of the day, the mediator is a neutral party. There are no decisions made by the mediator. It all comes down to the parties and this is an agreement that they can agree to fully and agree to put their signature on. And the mediator goes from there. The mediator does not make any decisions. And, um, the mediation ends either with an agreement or with an understanding of what’s going to happen next.
Jill O’Connell:
So that’s mediation, very abbreviated summary of mediation. Uh, kind of a nutshell. Maybe even smaller than a nutshell version of mediation. If you’ve got questions about whether or not mediation will work in your case, uh, how you can approach mediation in your case, visit with me about questions you’ve got about divorce, and maybe you can use mediation. You can give us a call. (972) 203-6644 or (940) 497-5454. And you can find us on social media and the website oconnellfirm.com. I’m Jill O’Connell. This is One on Wednesday™.
One on Wednesday™ – Emergency Orders
Video Transcript:
Jill O’Connell:
Hi, I’m Jill O’Connell the owner and attorney at O’Connell Law Firm, PC and this March 25th 2020 version of One on Wednesday™. The topic today that I’m bringing to you is about the emergency Denton County Orders to shelter in place and how that can affect family law and divorce cases.
Jill O’Connell:
If you are in a family law or divorce case and have questions about how this emergency order affects you, I would say contact a family law or divorce attorney to get your questions answered.
Jill O’Connell:
However, if you are looking for information, what I wanted to do today is tell you some specifics. The emergency orders can be found on https://dentoncounty.gov and those are being updated as frequently as they are being issued and/or amended. So you can, again, go to the website dentoncounty.gov and you will see the banners for those orders.
Jill O’Connell:
The other thing I want you to know is that the courts have not shut down totally. They are not doing jury trials, they are not conducting business in the normal way. But if you have a need for particular things that are essential or extraordinary, again contact a family law or divorce attorney. The courts are operating just in a way that’s different than their normal means.
Jill O’Connell:
They are using Zoom to conduct proceedings that are necessary. And then I also want you to know that the District Court Judges in Denton County are very aware of the needs of those people who are in proceedings and who have orders, dealing with families in family law issues and/or divorces. And they have also just recently issued, and I’m just gonna look and, read it directly from the order. A temporary standing order regarding possession and access during the COVID-19 emergency declaration.
Jill O’Connell:
So the courts are very aware that people have needs that cannot just wait until this emergency order is finished. So if you’ve got questions, you have an emergency, you don’t know what to do. Contact a family law attorney and get your questions answered.
Jill O’Connell:
I’m Jill O’Connell, Attorney and Owner of the O’Connell Law Firm in Lewisville Texas. You can reach me at 940-497-5454.