(originally published in 1995) “Twas two weeks after Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. My spouse in his skivvies, and I in my long shirt were asleep behind bars, our burglar alarm on alert. When out on the lawn there arose such sounds I sprang for [...]

There may be some tax advantages available to the sandwiched generation for helping out their elderly parents. If your elderly parent has little or no income, he may be considered a “qualifying relative” for your income tax purposes. He loses his own exemption, but that is probably of little worth since he would be paying [...]

Don’t get scammed in planning a Texas funeral. Many people, in the stress of planning a funeral, spend more than they can afford or purchase unnecessary goods and services. here are some helpful tips. 1. Prepare in advance. In Texas, you can leave written Burial Instructions and designate a person or company to handle all [...]

Mediation has become a popular method of resolving disputes in both family law and civil litigation. It can also be used for resolving disputes in guardianship proceedings. From a legal perspective a guardianship is a legal proceeding to determine a person’s capacity or lack thereof, determine what decision making power should be taken away, and [...]

“Tis the season for carbon monoxide poisoning and resulting personal injury cases. Carbon Monoxide poisoning is caused by the incomplete combustion of natural fossil fuels – natural gas, propane, oil, coal, kerosene, gasoline, wood and other flammables.    Some common causes are running a generator in an enclosed room, a clogged chimney, cracked heat exchangers, and  faulty pipes.  [...]

Tips from Texas divorce attorney Mark Scroggins How do you get through a divorce with your sanity intact? Calm down. Getting a divorce is one of life’s major stressors. Making emotionally charged decisions are never in your best interest. Divorce is a legal process. It takes time – sometimes it takes a lot of time. [...]

How can you keep your Texas criminal record a secret? You have two different avenues. The first is expunction. If you were a child when you committed the offense, then Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 45.021(h) applies. If you were an adult, then Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Art. 55.01(a)(2) applies. The second avenue [...]

No need to hire a private detective to dig up dirt on your spouse – Texas is a no-fault state when it comes to divorces. You just have to include in your divorce petition that you can’t get along or, to be exact, that your “marriage has become insupportable due to discord or conflict of [...]

Ten years, two years and four years. Maybe. Construction defects have to be timely asserted against the builder or general contractor. The Statute of Limitations determines the amount of time. For a Deceptive Trade Practice action, the lawsuit must be filed within two years. The time doesn’t start running, however, until the defect is discovered. [...]

Texas does not recognize a social-host civil cause of action for making alcohol available to guests under age eighteen. It is a crime, however. In 2001, the Texas Supreme Court decided in Daniel v. Reeder that the fact that the Legislature enacts a criminal statute does not necessarily mean that the Supreme Court may recognize [...]