Free wills month is upon us, and in honor of the promotional my firm is proudly participating in on behalf of the American Heart Association, Texas Children's Hospital, and The University of St. Thomas, I thought it would be a great idea to shed some light on important things to consider when sit...

Having practiced in the Harris county family courts for the past several years, I have learned that court dockets often move slowly due to the sheer volume of cases filed and the limited number of judges available to hear those matters. I have also learned that sometimes politics overshadow the a...

When I'm not busy solving legal problems and dealing with the day-to-day realities of running a law office, I like to support local artists, particularly local musicians. On April 19, 2013, I took off my lawyer hat, let my hair down, and thoroughly enjoyed Record Store Day at Cactus Music, one of...

Unfortunately when discussing divorce and family law issues sometimes people reveal potentially damaging information about their behavior and attitudes toward their children or, more commonly, their stepchildren. In my practice, I have encountered individuals so riddled with grief and despair thr...

The Law Office of Kimberly D. Moss is proud to announce that we are participating in Capacity Marketing for Charities' Free Wills Month during the month of May 2014. In an effort to spread the word about making charitable contributions while preparing your estate plan, we are offering simple will...

Lawyers know this but the general public may not be aware that as of January 1, 2014 the state of Texas mandated electronic filing of civil matters. The change will be completely effective in all counties as of July 1, 2016, but in the meanwhile, judges, attorneys, court staff, and administrators...

Many attorneys, local and nationwide, have taken to offering “free initial consultations.” In fact, when I first started my practice, I was one of them. I very quickly realized this was a mistake, and I'd like to share three (3) reasons why the idea of a “free consultation” is a misleading one. 1...

This question was posed to me by a friend recently, and to answer his question and shed some light on the topic in general, I wrote today's blog. The following six (6) points require these definitions: Testator– living person who writes a will identifying his or her wishes upon death Decedent– a ...

People often ask me about their rights as part of a common-law marriage. Here are 5 facts about this arrangement that you may not have known. 1. Common law marriage is not recognized in every state. Only Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Iowa, Montana, Oklahoma, Texas, and ...

Check out the videos posted just for you, featuring a special message to all of you Internet crawlers who simply want some good advice on the go.

Texas is a region rich in mineral deposits. If you own land in Texas which has mineral deposits, you can lease out the rights for those deposits to third parties in exchange for lease payments. It is very important that you understand the various laws regarding mineral rights before you enter a d...

Businesses that get caught up in trade secret disputes and litigation often have to disclose some aspect of their trade secrets in order to prove or disprove allegations and claims.  This potentially causes much risk in pursuing or defending against trade secret-stealing former employees, competi...

If you own a business that has proprietary information of any kind (secret recipes, customer lists, technical data, etc.), you will be glad to know that Texas has enacted a law just for you. The Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“TUTSA”) was modeled after the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (“UTSA”) aut...

what is the best internet security software This blog is specifically for business owners. If you have formulas, special recipes, client lists, or any other information you wouldn't want your competitors to have, pay close attention. There are a few steps you can take that will protect your trad...

Many times I receive frantic phone calls from individuals who have opened their mail boxes or received a knock at the door that resulted in them being in possession of an unexpected petition for divorce. These people are distraught and unsure of what to do next; if you are one of these unfortunat...

Recently this office has been bombarded with questions from harried business owners. They range in topic and severity. “Can I finance the sale of my store?”  “Should I agree to this business proposal?” “What's the best way to protect myself from a lawsuit if any employee gets injured?” These are ...

I came across a very well-written essay called “We Became a Family When 2 Bank Accounts Became 1”  by Bowen Close. I think it should be required reading for all couples anticipating marriage. The piece is written from the first-person perspective of a married woman who was asked when did she and ...

During this difficult economic climate, The Law Office of Kimberly D. Moss is glad to be able to provide needed legal services to some of society's most vulnerable members. Numerous individuals have become insolvent due to the decline in the housing market, medical debt, unemployment, and a horde...

Everyone should have a will. Many people are under the mistaken belief that because they make modest incomes, have no investments, no real property, no business, and no children, they don't need a Last Will & Testament. I'm here to demonstrate that this idea is very wrong. A Last Will & Testamen...

Holographic wills can be trouble. When discussing estate planning with people, I've heard it said a few times, “I could just write my own will.” While this is true, it is not as simple as it sounds. There are rules associated with writing a will, whether it is formally drafted by a professional,...

The best planning comes before marriage. In the final installment of this series, we're going to look into a very common issue that can be a tricky situation for couples to navigate: financial support of children from previous relationships. Whether it's the future husband or wife who has child ...

Sex and the City was a groundbreaking show about four single women in New York. This HBO series chronicled the lives and loves of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda as they dated and sometimes married the men who entered their lives. One of those women, Charlotte York, was faced with a situ...

If you're like most people, the idea of talking about finances or existing debt with your partner is not at the top of your list. Many people find discussions about money to be rude, at best, and a turn-off or red flag at worst. This doesn't mean it's an issue to be avoided. Some people come into...