Blog
Central Texas legal articles from Ted Smith Law Group.
Guides from the firm archive: injury, family, disability, estate, and local Central Texas legal questions.
Can I get alimony in Texas?
Texas rarely awards alimony automatically. Learn who qualifies for court-ordered spousal maintenance, how much a judge can order, and how long it lasts.
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Summer Visitation under the Texas Standard Possession Order
Texas Standard Possession Orders give parents extended summer time, but notice deadlines matter. Learn the April 1 deadline, day counts, and default rules.
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Enforcement of a Texas Family Law Court Order
When a parent violates a Texas custody or visitation order, a Motion for Enforcement is how you hold them accountable. Here's how the process works in Bell County.
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What Is a Standard Possession Order?
Texas Standard Possession Orders set the default custody schedule for parents. Learn the weekend, holiday, and summer rules and what to do if the other parent violates it.
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What Is Community Property?
Texas is a community property state. Learn how Texas law classifies marital property, what counts as separate property, and how divorce courts divide it.
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Non-competition Agreement
Non-competes are generally enforceable in Texas if they're reasonable in time, geography, and scope. Here's what makes one hold up, and what a court can fix.
Read articleChild Support in Texas
Texas calculates child support from a parent's net income, not a flat guess. Here's how the percentages work, what counts as income, and military pay wrinkles.
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How to Find the Right Lawyer?
Hiring the right lawyer matters. Here's how to research, interview, and choose a Central Texas attorney you can actually trust with your case.
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What Is Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage?
PIP coverage pays your medical bills and lost wages after a Texas car accident, regardless of fault. Here's how it works and why you may still need a lawyer.
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What Is a Statute of Limitation?
Texas gives you 2 years to file most personal injury claims, but investigating a case takes time. Here's how statutes of limitation work and why timing matters.
Read articleWhat is mediation?
Mediation lets you settle a Texas case without trial, with a neutral mediator, private caucus rooms, and a signed agreement. Here's how a session actually runs.
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Motorcycle Accidents
What to do after a Texas motorcycle accident: gear that actually protects you, steps to take at the scene, and the two-year deadline to file a claim.
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Can a pre-existing medical condition affect my personal injury claim?
A prior injury doesn't bar your Texas injury claim. Learn how the eggshell skull rule, disclosure, and documentation protect your right to compensation.
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Traumatic Brain Injuries
What a TBI diagnosis after a Texas car accident actually means, common symptoms to watch for, treatment options, and how to protect your claim.
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How much is my personal injury pain and suffering worth?
Pain and suffering has no fixed price tag under Texas law. Here's how it's actually proven and valued in a personal injury claim.
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What to do in the case of an accident?
Hurt in a car wreck, trucking accident, or slip and fall in Texas? Report it, get treated, and don't sign anything before calling us at (254) 690-5688.
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Why file for personal injury?
After a Texas car accident, insurers protect their bottom line, not yours. Learn what damages are recoverable and why the claims process favors preparation.
Read articleGuardianship: Preparing for When Your Special Needs Child Becomes an Adult
When your child turns 18, Texas law treats them as an adult. Here's how Bell County guardianship works, and the alternatives worth considering first.
Read articleSurvivor Benefit Plan and Divorce: What Military Families Need to Know
Divorcing a military retiree? The Survivor Benefit Plan doesn't transfer to a former spouse automatically. Here's the one-year deadline and key rules.
Read articleWhat to do when injured by an uninsured driver?
Hit by a driver with no insurance in Central Texas? Learn how uninsured motorist coverage works, what to gather at the scene, and your legal options.
Read articleHow to help yourself in the aftermath of a car accident
What to do right after a Texas car wreck: document the scene, notify your insurer, negotiate with the adjuster, and know your deadline. Call (254) 690-5688.
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5 stages of a personal injury matter
From treatment through resolution, here is what can happen in a Texas personal injury claim and what can affect the timing.
Read articleWhat if my injuries are caused by the government?
Injured by a government vehicle, agency, or employee in Texas? Sovereign immunity changes the rules. Here's what the Texas Tort Claims Act means for your claim.
Read articleShould I settle my own claim?
Thinking about settling your Texas car accident claim without a lawyer? Learn what the recorded statement, deadline, and adjuster incentives mean for you.
Read article9 questions to ask your prospective personal injury attorney
What to ask before hiring a personal injury attorney in Texas, from who handles your file to how fees work, so you choose with confidence.
Read articleCreating Your Love Drawer: Essential Texas Estate Planning Documents
The three documents every Central Texas family needs: a will, powers of attorney, and sometimes a trust. What each one does and how to organize them.
Read articleGetting damages after a personal injury
What can you actually recover after a Texas injury? A plain-English breakdown of economic and non-economic damages, and how they get proven.
Read articleHow to get medical bills paid after a car accident
Medical bills piling up after a Texas car accident? Learn how liability insurance, PIP, and UM/UIM coverage can pay your bills. Call (254) 690-5688.
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How to get the appropriate medical care after a car accident
How health insurance, med pay, and PIP coverage work together after a Texas car accident, and what to do if you have no insurance at all.
Read articleI just got married, is my spouse a United States citizen?
Marrying a US citizen does not automatically make you a citizen. It can open the door to a green card through USCIS. Here's the process, step by step.
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