As one of leading firms in Texas in family, child welfare and juvenile law matters, our experienced appellate attorneys at Connolly Schneider Shireman, LLP are capable of handling any kind of family code related appellate matter. Below is just a small sample of results obtained by the firms’ lawyers in appellate matters arising out of the Texas Family Code:

 

Successfully defended a mandamus proceeding brought by a grandparent over an order awarding another grandparent a standard possession order;

Successfully defended a mandamus against a court for awarding access and possession to a grandfather whose son and grandchild were both disabled;

Successfully defended multiple appeals and mandamus proceedings against an adoptive parent by a father whose rights were eventually terminated;

Successfully obtained a mandamus and dismissal of a CPS suit where the Department failed to meet its burden of proof at the Adversary Hearing;

Successfully obtained a mandamus where trial court improperly made substantive changes to an order after the court no longer had jurisdiction;

Successfully obtained a second mandamus where a different trial court improperly made substantive changes to an order after the court no longer had jurisdiction;

 

Successfully reversed Decrees terminating parental rights in many CPS cases because of:

1. Legal insufficiency of the evidence;
2. Factual insufficiency of the evidence;
3. The reasonable discipline exception to child abuse;
4. A parent being a victim of domestic violence;
5. A parent using marijuana on one occasion;
6. A parent properly contesting a case but Court found him in default;
7. Insufficiency of evidence on (D) and (E) grounds;
8. Insufficiency of the evidence or best interest;
9. CPS not obtaining a guardianship and proper service on a minor mother; and
10. Failure on the part of CPS to get the case to a trial on the merits before the trial court lost jurisdiction.

 

Successfully reversed terminations in 5 different cases because the trial court improperly struck Interventions when the foster parents or grandparents had standing;

Successfully reversed a divorce and property division where the evidence was legally and factually insufficient to support the judgment;

Successfully reversed a post judgment clarification of retirement benefits where the trial court improperly made a substantive change to the judgment;

Successfully defended a property division in favor of a wife where the husband had shifted significant assets within the nine months preceding the filing of the divorce;

Successfully defended a modification substantially increasing child support;

With co-counsel, successfully changed the law on the antiquated policy of “acceptance of the benefits doctrine” that punished spouses by dismissing their appeal because they accepted and used their own property after the divorce decree was entered;

Successfully obtained a Writ of Habeas Corpus, vacation of contempt order and unconditional release from custody;

Successfully argued for reversal in a case where legally deficient warnings were given in a juvenile case;

 

While success in a case on appeal primarily depends upon the quality of representation in the trial court, at Connolly Schneider Shireman, LLP, our experienced appellate attorneys dedicate themselves to securing the best possible appellate outcomes. If you are interested in appealing or defending a family, child welfare or juvenile court judgment or want to appeal an investigative finding by CPS, contact one of the attorneys at Connolly Schneider Shireman, LLP.