817-645-1717
Recent Blog Posts
Should My Company Have An Employee Handbook?
Employee handbooks are often considered something that only belongs in a large corporate environment. This is a misconception, however. Small and medium businesses can also benefit greatly from having an employee handbook in place. From a legal standpoint, employee handbooks can help protect a business from liability. They also enhance a company’s professionalism, save businesses time and money, and minimize future disputes with employees. That is a win-win for businesses of any size.
There are essential sections that employers should aim to include in their employee handbook. An experienced Hood County, TX employment lawyer can advise you on how best to draft your employee handbooks.
Why Should My Company Have an Employee Handbook?
Employee handbooks can be beneficial in several ways, but by far the main reason employers should have them is to protect their businesses from legal liability. An employee handbook outlines the rules and policies that apply to workers. This encourages company-wide legal compliance by providing guidelines in the event there is a dispute with an employee. It also serves as evidence that a company takes compliance with employment laws seriously.
Common Commercial Lease Types in Texas
Commercial leases, like residential leases, involve the rental of property by a tenant from a landlord. Many of the similarities end there, however. Commercial lease agreements are vastly different from residential lease agreements, particularly in that they offer multiple ways of structuring the payment of rent. This allows the parties more room to negotiate terms and tends to help keep the tenant in the space for a longer period—which generally speaking is in the best interest of both tenant and landlord in a commercial lease. Whether considering a gross lease, percentage lease, or net lease, commercial tenants and landlords should familiarize themselves with the various types of commercial lease agreements to find the right fit for their business by speaking to an experienced Hill County, TX commercial real estate lawyer.
Can Illegitimate Children Inherit in Texas?
No matter how carefully a person plans his or her estate so that it will be as easy as possible for those left behind, life can always throw curve balls when they are least expected. Suppose your father – who, as far as you know, was happily married to your mother for 38 years and who is the father of you and your three siblings – died recently, and a total stranger shows up at the funeral claiming to be his child?
Perhaps this new member of the family is seeking his or her share of your father’s estate. What should you do? The best step you can take in this type of situation is to contact an experienced Hill County, TX estate planning attorney. This is not a time when you should skip legal advice and assistance, as a situation like this can quickly get out of hand.
Do Illegitimate Children Inherit in Texas?
Prior to 1991, illegitimate children – now known as "nonmarital" children - were not allowed to inherit from their biological parents. That year, the Texas Supreme Court changed its original decision after the U.S. Supreme Court determined that denying these rights to nonmarital children violated the Constitution. Before this reversal, paternal inheritance rights were only given to a nonmarital child if the parents married after the child was born.
What Does an Appellate Attorney Do?
If you have lost a civil case, it may be possible to appeal the decision. In particular, if there is reason to believe that the court made a significant legal error, it is possible to appeal the decision to a higher or court of appeals.
The appellate court is generally made up of a three-judge panel that will review the lower court’s decision in a given case and hand down a decision either affirming or denying the appeal. The appeals process has specific and detailed procedures and does not involve a trial, although there may be oral arguments.
It may be helpful to understand the role of your appellate attorney in this process if you are hoping to appeal your case. An experienced Tarrant County, TX appellate attorney can advise you on the appeals process and your attorney’s role in your civil appeal.
Estate Planning for Military Families
One of the main goals of an estate plan is to protect you and your family from unforeseen financial and personal events that may occur. Military service members may be especially vulnerable to the consequences of unforeseen events, especially those who serve in frequent deployments. An estate plan should put in place mechanisms for the transfer of assets as well as processes for decision-making if the worst should happen.
All of these challenges can be successfully addressed by creating a comprehensive estate plan that takes into consideration the unique needs of military families and special programs available to them. An experienced Hood County, TX estate planning attorney can work with members of the military to create an estate plan that meets their needs.
Estate Planning Factors for Military Families
There are a few factors to consider before you make your estate plan that can help your attorney customize it to best fit your family’s needs. These include:
Common Provisions In Your Residential Purchase and Sale Contract
Whether you are buying or selling a single-family home, condo, or townhome, the real estate purchase and sale agreement will govern the terms of the transaction. If a real estate purchase and sale agreement is not well-drafted it can expose you to potential issues, costs, and disputes.
Whether it is your first time buying or selling residential property in Texas, or even if you have done so before, being familiar with and understanding the significance of common real estate purchase and sale agreement terms is crucial to protecting your interests in the transaction. Familiarity with these clauses can also help you understand some key areas where you might be able to negotiate. An experienced Texas residential real estate attorney can ensure that your residential real estate sale and purchase agreement safeguards your rights.
Why Include a Power of Attorney in Your Estate Plan?
One of the goals of estate planning is to put a plan in place for the unexpected. That way, if and when a difficult life event takes place and you are left incapacitated or unable to make certain decisions, there are mechanisms in place to both honor your wishes and lessen the burden on your family.
A key way to do this is by ensuring that your estate plan contains the relevant power of attorney for your situation. An experienced Texas estates planning attorney can draft a legally binding power of attorney as part of a comprehensive estate plan.
What Is a Power of Attorney?
A power of attorney is a legal document that appoints an agent to act on your behalf. The agent manages your financial, personal, or medical matters when you are no longer able to do so due to incapacity or illness. Depending on the scope of the power of attorney, the agent can make decisions about a range of personal and financial issues or only in a specific area such as medical matters.
Texas Surface Use Agreements 101
One commonly used agreement governing the use of natural resources in the Texas oil and gas industry is the surface use agreement. It details the rights and obligations owed between an oil and gas company that leases mineral rights to below-ground resources (the lessee) and the surface owner, who owns the rights to everything above ground.
The purpose of a surface use agreement is to compensate the surface owner for the mineral use of the land and to ensure that both parties are on the same page about how the surface rights will be affected by the mineral use. A Hood County, TX natural resources attorney can represent you in the negotiation of a surface use agreement.
Why Are Surface Use Agreements Important?
Drilling for minerals can cause damage to a property's surface. By having an agreement in place, surface landowners can lessen the impact of the damage on their land. Surface use agreements obligate the lessee to ensure that the land is restored or "reclaimed" up to a certain agreed-upon standard.
Common Real Estate Closing Issues
As exciting as purchasing a home can be, "it is not over until it is over," as the saying goes. Before you finalize the real estate transaction and get the keys to your home, you must first go through the closing process.
Yet closing can be complicated by many moving parts, and issues can come up that can cause delays or threaten the transaction. An experienced Hood County, TX real estate attorney can help you navigate any hurdles and protect your interests during the closing process.
What Happens at Closing?
Closing is the final step in the transaction to purchase or sell real estate. The parties to the transaction will sign all the necessary documents, including loan documentation if the buyer is purchasing the property with a mortgage. If all goes well, on closing day the buyer will take ownership of the property while the seller will receive payment.
An Employer Guide to Correctly Classifying Workers
One of the most important tasks of any employer is ensuring that workers are properly classified as either employees or independent contractors. The distinction can have a significant impact on an employer’s obligations under Texas and federal law. Failing to properly classify employees can also result in significant financial and reputational penalties. An experienced Hood County employment attorney can advise employers on the proper classification of workers and defend allegations of improper classification.
Why Does It Matter if I Classify a Worker as an Employee or Independent Contractor?
Your workers’ rights and entitlements under the law will vary widely depending on whether they are classified as employees or independent contractors, as employees receive many more benefits. When hiring employees, employers generally are required to withhold income taxes and pay Social Security, Medicare, and unemployment taxes. Employers must also pay employees minimum wage and overtime, and provide workers’ compensation coverage and certain protections against discrimination.
We're Here When You're Ready
To set up a consultation with our attorneys and get the legal help you need, please call 817-645-1717 or fill out the form below:
The use of the Internet or this form for communication with the firm or any individual member of the firm does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Confidential or time-sensitive information should not be sent through this form.
I have read and understand the Disclaimer and Privacy Policy.
Schedule Your Consultation Today
ADDRESS 508 N Ridgeway Dr., Cleburne, TX 76033
PHONE 817-645-1717
FAX 817-645-1739
Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.
508 N Ridgeway Dr., Cleburne, TX 76033|
817-645-1717
