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A divorce, child custody case or other family law case does not always have to be a traumatic, combative experience. Even when the issues are complex, your future is at stake and emotions are running high, I will work hard to protect your legal rights while avoiding unnecessary conflict and stress.

As a skilled Houston Family Lawyer, my goal is to resolve matters quickly and to save clients the trauma of litigation. But I will vigorously defend your rights in court when needed. I provide quality legal guidance to clients in Harris, Galveston, Brazoria and Waller counties in the following practice areas:

• Family Law
• Divorce
• Child Protective Services
• Child and Spouse Support
• Adoption
• Domestic Violence
• Criminal Law
• Child Custody
• Paternity
• Guardianships
• Motions to Modify
• Property Distribution
• Relocation
• Post-Judgment Actions
• Prenuptial Agreements
• Visitation
• Divorce Mediation

Divorce:
Today, times are difficult for families. Regardless of how hard we try, not all marriages can last. Sometimes it is just because people have changed and do not get along anymore. Other times, one spouse has wronged the other through abuse or infidelity. If the marriage has deteriorated, you need a lawyer who will listen and fight for you. Even in a “friendly divorce,” it is wise to have a lawyer to ensure things go smoothly and according to the law. If children are involved, the issues of child support and child custody are extremely difficult ones. You should not try to resolve these questions without professional help.

Child Protective Services:
Parents make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes are reported to CPS (the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services). And before you know it, your child(ren) have been taken away. The process and steps that you will have to take to get your child(ren) back can be grueling. Having a lawyer by your side fighting for your fundamental right to parent your child(ren) is essential in this situation. As an experienced Houston Family Lawyer, I can walk you through each step successfully so that your child(ren) can come home as soon as possible.

I am dedicated to serving the needs of clients by providing the highest level of commitment, experience and professionalism to achieve successful results. I am a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, an honorary society of lawyers who are among the best-trained attorneys in Texas. Members are qualified attorneys who are interested in both high ethical standards and improved training for all Texas attorneys.

I also believe in close and direct contact with my clients. As your case progresses, I will always keep you fully informed. You will be involved with all decisions affecting your case.

The Importance of Child Support:
Child support covers everything a child needs, and even more, during the growth and formative years. A parent's first and principal obligation is to support his or her minor children according to the parent's circumstances and station in life, and children should share in the standard of living of both parents.

The amount of a child support award is more than a question of bare necessities. If the child has a wealthy parent, that child is entitled to, and therefore needs something more than the bare necessities of life. Where the supporting parent enjoys a lifestyle that far exceeds the custodial parent's living standard, child support must, to some degree, reflect that more opulent lifestyle. This is so even though, as a practical matter, the child support payments may incidentally benefit others in the custodial household whom the payor parent has no obligation to support (e.g., custodial parent owed no spousal support, adult children, or children from custodial parent's other relationships). Children are entitled to share in the non-custodial parent’s elevated standard of living despite custodial parent's lower income.

If you or someone you know in Texas needs the assistance of an experienced Houston Family Lawyer, call Attorney Julie A. Ketterman today at 866-685-0587, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

Practice Areas and Legal Definitions

Child Custody:
Custody is the charge and control of a child, including the right to make all major decisions such as education, religious upbringing, training, health and welfare.  Custody usually refers to a combination of physical custody and legal custody.  Many factors influence an award of custody and the way a case is presented in court can have a large impact on the result for you and your children.  If you are awarded the children as a primary custodial parent, it has far reaching consequences both to you and to their well-being and development.

Child Support:
Child support is a periodic payment made to a custodial parent from a non-custodial parent to help compensate a child's living expenses, i.e. food, clothes, etc., and any other related debts.  When one parent is awarded sole custody, as in the event of a divorce, the non-custodial parent is required to fulfill his or her child support obligation by making set payments, whereas the custodial parent meets his or her support obligation through the custody itself.  When parents are awarded joint custody in a divorce, however, the support obligation is shared and is based on a ratio of each parent's income and the amount of time the child spends with each parent.

The obligation to support minor children cannot be waived by either parent and is a right enjoyed by the child, not the parent.  Each state has guidelines that factor the amount of child support, such as the amount of time spent with the child, the income of both parents and the standard of living the child is accustomed to.  The court may allow deductions for items such as catastrophic medical expenses and travel expenses for visitation.

CPS:
Parents make mistakes. Sometimes these mistakes are reported to CPS (the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services). And before you know it, your child(ren) have been taken away. The process and steps that you will have to take to get your child(ren) back can be grueling. Having a lawyer by your side fighting for your fundamental right to parent your child(ren) is essential in this situation. This firm can walk you through each step successfully so that your child(ren) can come home as soon as possible.

Divorce:
A court of law is the only way one can obtain a divorce decree, dissolution, legal separation, nullity or other form of terminating a marriage.  Other than the termination of the marital estate, the court also has jurisdiction to resolve other issues that are intertwined in the existing marriage which include, but are not limited to: custody and visitation rights, division of property of the marital estate, spousal support, child support, restraining orders, etc.

Property and Debt Division:
Marital property attained during marriage, regardless of whose name it is under, can be divided.  Marital property can include real estate (including a home bought in contemplation of marriage), pension plans, vehicles, bank accounts, income tax refunds and/or household furnishings.  However, property that is inherited by one spouse is not considered marital property, i.e. a family business or estate.  If you are contractually bound with your ex-spouse on a debt, the creditor can require the entire payment of that debt from your share of the community property even though the divorce decree assigns the debt to your ex-spouse.  Depending on the terms of your divorce decree, you may be able to have certain support obligations under the divorce decree determined to be non-dischargeable by the bankruptcy court or in state court.

Prenuptial Agreements:
A prenuptial, or premarital agreement (often referred to as a "pre-nup") is a written contract created by two individuals who plan to be married.  This agreement lists all individually owned property, such as homes and businesses, family assets, stocks and bonds, savings accounts as well as debts, and specifies what will and will not remain individually owned property after the legalization of marriage.  Prenuptial agreements also specify whether spousal support will be paid in the event of a divorce, and the intentions regarding distribution of individually owned property upon death.

A factor that cannot be stipulated in a prenuptial agreement is child support.  A couple cannot lawfully agree in a prenuptial agreement that either part will in no way be responsible for child support.  Also, a few states do not allow prenuptial agreements to modify or eliminate the right of a spouse to receive court-ordered alimony at divorce, although a prenuptial agreement can facilitate in the degree of compensation.

Jurisdictional Issues:
When faced with a relocating custodial parent, the court will general require that parent to give the other parent a minimum amount of notice prior to the anticipated move.  This notice gives the non-custodial parent an opportunity to go to court and seek orders restraining the relocation of the child. 

These so-called move away cases have gone back and forth on allowing and disallowing a move by the custodial parent with the minor children for over 20 years.  While the best interests of the child have always been central to the decision, the uncertainty has made this area murky.  Prior to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, when parents sought an advantage in a custody tug-of-war, they would move to a "friendly" jurisdiction (that is, a region with a history of rulings favorable to their position). However, after the UCCJA was adopted by all 50 states, family law courts were forced to defer jurisdiction to the home state, and this custody battle tactic lost favor.

Spousal Support (Alimony):
Alimony is temporary or permanent financial support paid from one separated spouse to the other, either in one lump sum or in installments.  Alimony is designed to provide the lower-income spouse with money for living expenses over and above the money provided by child support.  Alimony differs from child support because it is at the discretion of the judge.  Child support is usually determined by state-sanctioned guidelines.

There are several factors a judge considers when deciding whether to grant alimony. These differ from state to state, of course, but they usually involve things like the parties' relative ability to earn money, both now and in the future; their respective age and health; the length of the marriage; the kind of property involved, and the conduct of the parties. In general, about the only time a judge will award alimony in most states is where one spouse has been economically dependent on the other spouse for most of a lengthy marriage.

Adoption:
Adoption is the legal process by which a person becomes a lawful member of a family different from their birth family.  Once a final order of adoption has been ruled by a court of law, the adoptive parents gain the same rights and responsibilities as parents whose children are born to them; subsequently, an adopted child gains the same rights as birth children in regard to inheritance, child support and other legal matters.  In most U.S. jurisdictions, at the time the adoption is finalized, the adopted child's name is legally changed and the court orders the issuance of a new, amended birth certificate.

Divorce Mediation:
The basic attitude marking divorce mediation is a focus on solving problems, not fighting the fight. Family mediation is a voluntary process which gives a divorcing or separating couple the opportunity to make their own arrangements for their financial and personal future, while protecting themselves and their children from distress and the needless expense of litigation.  The strength of a mediated agreement is that it is built by both parties together in an open process that requires all participants to recognize and make accommodation for the needs of the other participants, often without having to compromise one’s own.

While no two situations are alike, the emphasis in a mediated approach is to achieve a satisfactory settlement in an efficient, cooperative manner.  This might include "four-way" settlement conferences where the parties meet along with their divorce mediation lawyers to work on a settlement.  The philosophy of Divorce Mediation is that as much effort should be exerted toward settlement as is traditionally spent in preparation for and conducting a trial.

Paternity:
Paternity covers all the matters related to proving the parentage of a child or children. For married couples, paternity of a child is assumed to be the spouse, unless there is a court order or judgment stating otherwise. For unwed parents, paternity can be established by signing an Affidavit of Parentage or by filing a paternity action with the court.

Legally establishing paternity or determining that someone is not the parent of child can have a significant impact on divorce settlements, property division, child custody, child support and the ability to move out of state. Determinations of paternity can also have a significant impact on interstate conflict between unwed parents.

If you or someone you know in Texas needs the assistance of an experienced Houston Family Lawyer, call Attorney Julie A. Ketterman today at 866-685-0587, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

If you or someone you know in Texas needs the assistance of an experienced Houston Family Lawyer, call Attorney Julie A. Ketterman today at 866-685-0587, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Ketterman & Amann, PLLC
2603 Augusta, Suite 1060
Houston, TX 77057
Telephone: 866-685-0587
Fax: 713-522-9888

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

Julie A. Ketterman

Education

• B.A. Criminal Justice / Legal Emphasis.
  
  • University of Texas at San Antonio (1995)
• J.D., South Texas College of Law (1999)

Admitted to the Bar

• State Bar of Texas -- 1999

Areas of Practice

• Criminal Defense (Federal & State)
• Family
• Juvenile
• CPS
• Appellate
• Mediation

Memberships

• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
• Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

Biography
In 1999, Julie earned her law degree at South Texas College of Law. Julie handles all types of criminal, family, juvenile and CPS cases. She is licensed to practice in both Federal and State District Courts. Julie works in Harris, Galveston, Brazoria and Waller Counties. Julie is married to criminal defense attorney, and firm member, Colin B. Amann. She has three daughters, Aurelia, Danielle and Kali, and two step sons, Augustus and Nikki.

Colin B. Amann

Education

• B.A. in Chemistry, Virginia Tech (1981)
• J.D., University of Houston, Bates School of Law (1985)

Admitted to the Bar

• State Bar of Texas -- 1987

Areas of Practice

• Criminal Defense (Federal & State)
• Appellate (Federal & State)

Memberships

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas
• Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

Biography
Colin B. Amann was raised in Northern Virginia and attended college at Virginia Tech, where he received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Colin moved to Houston in 1982 to attend law school at the University of Houston Bates School of Law.

While in law school, Colin worked as a law clerk for noted criminal defense attorney, Mike Ramsey. After graduating in 1985, Colin was hired as an associate to Mike Ramsey and during the following seven years, assisted Mr. Ramsey in the representation of such clients as Commissioner Bob Eckels, Councilman Ben Reyes, and baseball star Roger Clemens. Colin continues to assist Mr. Ramsey in many of his cases. In addition to managing high-profile clients, Colin has become very experienced with document-intensive white collar criminal cases.

In 1989, Colin was hired by the University of Houston as an adjunct law professor. For the next four years -- in addition to his duties as a practicing lawyer -- Colin taught legal research and writing to first-year law students.

In addition to being a member of the Texas State Bar, Colin is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States District Courts for Northern, Southern and Eastern Districts of Texas. During his legal career, Colin has traveled throughout the State of Texas and Louisiana to represent clients in both Federal and State courts. Colin has been recognized by Strathmore’s “Who’s Who” for his achievements in the legal profession.