Divorce Modification Attorney in Flower Mound

Voted #1 by Best of Lewisville & Flower Mound. Three Years Running.

A finalized divorce or custody order reflects the circumstances of one moment in time. When a job loss, relocation, or a child’s changing needs make the original terms unworkable, Texas law provides a process to revisit those orders. At Haugen Law Firm, P.C., we’ve been helping individuals and families throughout Denton, Dallas, and Collin Counties navigate that process since 2007, building a legal strategy around each client’s specific situation rather than a generic template.

Serving Flower Mound families from our office in Old Town Lewisville, we handle conservatorship and possession, child support, and spousal maintenance modifications with the same attention to detail we bring to every family law matter.

If your current order no longer fits your life, we’re ready to discuss your options. Call us at (972) 460-6798 to schedule a remote or in-person consultation.

Why Flower Mound Families Work with Haugen Law Firm, P.C.

Founding attorney John Haugen graduated from West Point in 1984 and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army as a Captain in 1989. That background in service, discipline, and accountability shapes how we approach every modification case. We’re prepared to resolve matters through negotiation, and we’re equally prepared to advocate in court when that’s what the situation demands.

Haugen Law Firm, P.C. has been voted number one for three consecutive years by Best of Lewisville and Flower Mound, a recognition that reflects the relationships we’ve built with local families. When your modification request involves Denton County courts, you want a team that knows the local process from the inside out.

The Material & Substantial Change Standard

Texas courts don’t modify a conservatorship or possession order simply because one parent is dissatisfied with the current arrangement. Under Texas Family Code Section 156.101, a modification must serve the child’s best interest, and the requesting party must demonstrate that the circumstances of the child or a conservator have materially and substantially changed since the prior order was issued. The code doesn’t define that phrase precisely; courts evaluate the specific facts of each case.

Common triggers that may meet this standard include remarriage that affects financial arrangements, a serious health issue, or a significant loss of income. Our job is to assess whether the change in your life meets that legal threshold before you invest time and money in a filing.

Modifying Child Support in Texas

Texas Family Code Section 156.401 gives parents two paths to a child support modification. The first is demonstrating a material and substantial change in circumstances. The second applies when at least three years have passed since the order was last rendered or modified and the guideline amount would differ from the current amount by at least 20 percent or $100.

A few important limitations apply:

• Agreed-upon amounts outside the guidelines can be modified by proving a material and substantial change, regardless of how much time has passed since the original order.
• Incarceration of the paying parent for more than 180 days is classified by statute as a material and substantial change in circumstances.

Custody, Possession, & Spousal Maintenance Modifications

Several circumstances can support a custody modification request. A relocation that significantly disrupts a child’s relationship with the other parent often qualifies. So can a new significant other who poses a threat to the child’s safety, or a parent’s drug or alcohol problem.

Texas courts may also modify custody when a child age 12 or older has expressed a preference to the court, or when the parent with primary custody has voluntarily relinquished care of the child for at least six months.

Spousal maintenance follows a parallel track. Under Texas Family Code Section 8.057, a court may modify a maintenance order when a material and substantial change in circumstances has occurred for either party since the order was last set.

Filing a Modification in Denton County

A modification request is filed as a motion in the court that originally issued the order being changed. That court retains continuing exclusive jurisdiction over the case even if one or both parties have since moved.

For Flower Mound families, that often means filing in one of Denton County’s district courts. The 393rd District Court is statutorily required to give preference to family law matters. Several Denton County courts also require the parties to attend mediation before a modification case proceeds to trial, which can be a meaningful opportunity to reach a workable agreement without a contested hearing.

One timing consideration worth knowing: if you’re seeking to change who has the right to designate your child’s primary residence within one year of the current order, Texas law requires an additional affidavit addressing specific circumstances (such as endangerment or voluntary relinquishment) before the court sets a hearing. Other custody and possession modifications aren’t subject to that one-year requirement. We can help you determine where your timeline stands.

Schedule a Consultation About Your Modification

We offer remote consultations so that getting legal guidance doesn’t require rearranging your schedule around a commute. We also offer a 20 percent discount to active duty military members, teachers, and firefighters, and a 10 percent discount to retired military service members, as part of our commitment to those who serve others.

If you’re a Flower Mound-area parent or former spouse ready to talk through a post-divorce modification, call Haugen Law Firm, P.C. at (972) 460-6798 to get started.