ktravis@lawwaller.com call or text 832-717-2538
Serving Waller, Grimes & Washington Counties
- 30 plus years Trial Experience
- Divorce
- Modifications of Custody Orders
- Child support
- Adoptions
- Wills
- Probate
Divorce and Child Custody Cases
A few of our cases our set out below. Experience matters
July 2016- Present: Successfully set aside a $416,000,000 dollar judgment for divorce. A default judgment was awarded to a wife in 2014. The husband is part of a wealthy family from the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Wife sued her Husband for divorce initially in Montgomery County the couple settled in mediation and signed a mediated settlement agreement. The wife, not satisfied with the settlement, dismissed the entire Montgomery County Divorce case, that same day sued her husband and his family business for divorce in Harris County. The Harris County Divorce case ended in a trial where the wife was the only witness. The trial court issued judgment against the husband for over $3 Million dollars. The Harris County Trial Court denied any judgment against the family business. Again, the wife was unhappy with the end result, she dismissed the Harris County Divorce case, that same day, she sued her husband for divorce in Galveston County, joining the family business claiming the business was the "alter ego" of her husband. The Galveston County Court entered judgment against the husband and business and severally in the amount of $416 Million dollars. The wife waited almost 1 1/2 years, then, she filed for turnover relief, requested a Receiver be appointed to collect the $416 Million Dollar Judgment. We won. The judgment was set aside and even more, the Galveston County Judge ordered over $200,000.00 in sanctions against the wife for filing the Galveston County Divorce when she didn't reside in Galveston County, the judge stating, it was a blatant attempt to forum shop. The wife appealed to the First Court of Appeals and Supreme Court of Texas, we prevailed in both appellate courts.
July 2015: Modification of Custody Post-Divorce. The client, a schoolteacher faced and defeated her executive ex-husband in a one-week jury trial. The jury awarded her primary custody of her child and $135,000 in attorney fees.
2015 - Hearing to determine temporary orders in a divorce case. My client awarded sole managing conservatorship (custody) of the children and spousal support/alimony.
January 2015 Jury trial - Won - Divorce case, involved international custody and property between the United States and Iran. Confirmation of separate property from Iranian Marriage Contract. Alleged, proved and won judgments for assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress jury awarded actual and exemplary damages. Client alleged: her husband assaulted her during the marriage, he filed false allegations of child abuse during the pendency of the divorce and Protective Services, wasted community funds and committed fraud in the management of the rental properties owned by the parties. 1. Divorce grounds - cruelty 2. Sole Managing Conservatorship 3. Fraud - $30,000.00 4. Assault - $10,000.00 5. Intentional Infliction of Emotion Distress - $20,000.00 6. Punitive/Exemplary Damages - $20,000.00 7. Attorney Fees - $55,000.00
2014 - Trial - won - Represented mother in a modification case, she sought a change in the periods of visitation between the father and their daughter. The father moved to a new city requiring a minimum hour drive for the child each way. Court awarded mother attorney fees in addition to her requested changes in the father's periods of possession.
2013 - Hearing on temporary orders - Won - represented father of a one year old baby girl. The parents were not married, the court granted the father sole managing conservatorship of the baby girl. November 2009 Custody trial between grandparents and a non-parent. Parties settled after one day of testimony. Represented non-parent/sole managing conservator. October 2009 – October 2009 Divorce - jury award of attorney fees $16,000.00
May, 2009. Custody Trial Won. Represented the father of the children. Father filed a modification lawsuit seeking to gain primary conservatorhsip of two young children. Significant issue in the case: which parent would better support the child's relationship with the other parent. This was a lengthy trial with complex legal issues.
Trial: Won. Divorce with contested custody of 2-year-old child. Represented husband/father; Trial: Won. Divorce case, the contested issues were property division, the gross value of the estate was 500,000.00.
Trial: Won. Modification of Divorce Decree seeking custody of 3 children, represented father. Father won custody.
Jury Trial: Won. Modification of Divorce Decree defending right to home school children. modification of conservatorship from Joint Managing Conservatorship to Sole Managing Conservatorship.
Appellate case: Writ of Mandamus: Won. Modification of Divorce Decree defending against increase in child support and fighting for transfer of case. Successful Writ of Mandamus to the Court of Appeals against Court in San Antonio.
Trial: Won. Divorce case, alleged fault grounds in the break-up of the marriage. Estimated gross value of the estates, 300,000.00.
Trial: Won. Divorce case and Immigration case: Contested issues were fault grounds in the break-up of the marriage and a request for disproportionate division of the marital estates. Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) passed by Congress in 1994, the spouses and children of United States citizens or lawful permanent residents (LPR) may self-petition to obtain lawful permanent residency. This case there were only general allegations of a bad marital relationship which may be enough in the Divorce Court but will not necessarily succeed in the Immigration Court where you have to prove extreme mental cruelty. Proof of domination, isolation and signs depression is what is necessary to win the petition. Every case of this nature is fact driven; this result may not be the same in another case. Estimated gross value of estates, 308,000.00.
2004 - Grandparents successful gained Sole Managing Conservatorship of their grandchild after the murder of their son.
Trial: Won. Divorce case with contested custody of the children and contested property division. Approximate gross value of estate, $150,000.00.
International child custody case. Case settled after winning several hearings on contempt of court against mother. International child custody case represented father in his attempt to locate his son. Case settled in mediation after many hearings.
Divorce case contested issues were property division and discovery and recovery of property. The gross martial estate was approximately 2,500,000.00. This case involved tracing assets through several international banks and international companies.
Modification of custody of child. Case was settled during trial. The mother of the child had alleged the father and Stepmother were emotionally abusing the child.
Divorce case contested issues were property division and custody of minor children. Won custody at hearing on Temporary Orders, the case later settled to client's satisfaction.
Divorce case and contested property division issues including reimbursement claims, tracing separate assets of the wife resulted in successful settlement of case on day of trial.
Termination of Parental Rights of father. Successful termination case of parental rights of father who had emotionally and physically abused mother.
Modification of Custody filed by father; Won temporary custody at hearing, case later settled in conformity with temporary orders.
Divorce case, contested issues were property division and confirmation of separate property. Approximate value of estates $100,000.00.
Divorce case, contested issues were custody and property division. The case settled at mediation.
Modification of custody of children, father (client) sought to be appointed the Sole Managing Conservator of minor children. Father won requested relief at hearing on temporary custody. The case later settled in conformity to temporary orders.
Modification of custody of child, suit filed by mother. The child lived with the father in Tennessee, mother successfully won custody involved many jurisdictional issues and criminal issues.
Trial: Won. Immigration Court. The federal government sought to remove (deport) family that had lived and worked LEGALLY in the United States for the previous 13 years. The family relied upon an erroneous order from the district office of the USCIS allowing them to travel to their country of origin for a short visit. The family through our office filed an Application for Relief from Removal, (Cancellation of Removal). This form of discretionary relief is available to qualifying lawful permanent residents and qualifying non-permanent residents. For lawful permanent residents, cancellation of removal may be granted if the individual: Has been continuously present for at least 10 years. Only a few thousand of these cases can be granted by the immigration Court each year. We aggressively prepared our case, provided the Immigration Court two expert witnesses in trial, Court granted our requested relief and adjusted the status of all members of the family.
Call or Text: Kathleen Travis - 832-717-2538