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Q: What steps to take to sue for assault with evidence?
I suffered a skull fracture and underwent brain surgery following an assault with a metal bar on July 3, 2026, in New York. I have video footage of the assault and a police report documenting the incident. What are the steps I need to take to sue the individual responsible for this assault, and... View More 
Jonathan R. Ratchik
answered on Jul 27, 2026
answered on Jul 27, 2026
Sorry to hear what happened to you. Provided you can identify the individual who assaulted you, you should consider contacting an experienced personal injury attorney. You can find many excellent attorneys using the Find a Lawyer tab on the JUSTIA homepage. Keep in mind that the statute of... View More
Q: How to address a fraudulent order in a Texas civil dispute?
I'm involved in a civil contract dispute in Texas where I missed the first JP Court hearing. In my absence, the defense filed a final judgment order with fraudulent claims about my attendance and testimonies. This order led to reinstatement hearings, bond hearings, and appeals. They later... View More
John Michael Frick
answered on Jul 27, 2026
answered on Jul 27, 2026
Your timely appeal to the county court at law from the JP court judgment is the very best course of action. All of these issues can be addressed in the de novo proceeding in the county court at law.
If, for some reason, you lost in your appeal, you need to timely appeal the judgment of the... View More
Q: How can I sell my ex-wife-awarded house post-divorce for equity? (TX)
I finalized my divorce in Texas in 2014. According to the divorce settlement, my ex-wife was awarded our house and land on the condition that she refinances the property within a year to buy me out of my part of the equity. However, she never did this. The loan remains solely in my name, while her... View More
John Michael Frick
answered on Jul 27, 2026
answered on Jul 27, 2026
You should hire a lawyer in or near the county where your divorce was granted to file a motion to enforce the divorce decree. It is most likely that the equity to which you are entitled under your decree is half of the equity existing at the time of the divorce, not the present equity as she has... View More
Q: Do I have a claim on my deceased wife's estate in Texas without formal marriage?
My wife recently passed away in Texas without a will. We were informally married for 30 years and chose not to formally wed due to potential impacts on her disability benefits. We cohabitated and held ourselves out to be married, but had no children together and no jointly owned property or assets.... View More
John Michael Frick
answered on Jul 27, 2026
answered on Jul 27, 2026
Yes, but you will need to prove the existence of the informal marriage. If you filed a Declaration of Informal Marriage with the County Clerk, that should be relatively simple. If not, the filing of joint federal income tax returns is often very strong evidence of the existence of an informal... View More
Q: Do I have a claim on my deceased wife's estate in Texas without formal marriage?
My wife recently passed away in Texas without a will. We were informally married for 30 years and chose not to formally wed due to potential impacts on her disability benefits. We cohabitated and held ourselves out to be married, but had no children together and no jointly owned property or assets.... View More
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Sharita Blacknall
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answered on Jul 31, 2026
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Jul 31, 2026
If you can prove a valid Texas informal marriage, you generally have the same inheritance rights as a formally married surviving spouse. You would need evidence that you agreed to be married, lived together in Texas as spouses, and represented to others that you were married.
Because she... View More
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