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Divorce Attorneys In Houston

Busby & Associates is a firm of Houston divorce attorneys that appears almost daily in the Harris County Family Law Center.  There are in total 10 district family courts and each court has an associate judge.  You also have 4 masters or administrative judges that hear attorney general’s matters.  There is also one domestic violence court in the 280th that hears all the protective orders.  Thus you have 23 family law judges in Houston, Texas that could hear your case.  While all the judges know the black letter law, the application of the law to the facts by a judge is something only a lawyer who has tried cases before that judge would be able to know.  I have tried cases in front of all the judges in the Houston Divorce Courts.  Below I give you some pointers as to the logics in these courts.

Harris County Family Courts Available on the web at: Family Law Courts

 

246th 713-755-6938

It is located on the 16th Floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge Charlie Prine is the elected Judge and Judge Chelsie Ramos is the associate. Both judges are new to this court as Judge York retired December 31st 2014.  Uncontested matters typically start at about 8:15  daily.  I have tried about several cases in front of Judge Prine when he was the associate Judge in the 309th.  Judge Ramos has been in practice since 2002.  Her husband was an associate Judge in the 308th for about two years.  Judge Ramos is fair and generally never short with you.  Judge Prine is known to get a temper quicker than his associate.  Docket call is at 8:30 a.m. every day.

257th 713-274-4560

It is located on the 16th Floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge Warne is the elected Judge and Judge Patterson is her associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:30 a.m., docket call is at 9 a.m.   If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set at a later date.  Mediation is required before temporary orders hearing on child custody and also before the final trial.  I have tried about 25 contested cases in this court.  The trial docket is at 1:30 p.m. on Mondays with the rest of the docket generally called at 9 a.m.  all other days.

308th 713-274-4600

It is located on the 8th floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge Lombardo is the elected Judge and Judge Sydow is his associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:30 a.m., docket call is at 9 a.m.  If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set within one week.  Mediation is required before temporary order hearings and also before the final trial. I have tried about 15 contested cases in this court. Trial settings are on Tuesdays in this court.  Do not call in late or your case may be dismissed on the trial date.

309th 713-274-4520

It is located on the 16th Floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge Dean is the elected Judge and Judge Beverly Malazzo  is her associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:30 a.m. and docket call is  at 9:30 a.m.  If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set at a later date.  Mediation is not always enforced in this court unless you have a jury trial. I have tried about 20 contested cases in this court.

311th 713-274-4580

It is located on the 8th floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge York is the elected Judge and Judge Guariglia  is her associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:30 a.m., docket call is at 9:00 a.m. and trial settings are at 10 a.m. on Mondays.   If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set at a later date.  Mediation is required before the final trial and before temporary orders hearing if conservatorship is an issue.  I have tried about 10 cases over the years with Judge Guariglia and about 5 cases with Judge York

312th 713-274-4540

It is located on the 16th Floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge Farr is the elected Judge and Judge Gaffney is his associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:30 a.m., docket call is at 9:00 a.m.  with some trial dockets being called Mondays at 1:30 p.m.    If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set at a later date.  Mediation is required before temporary order as well as before the final trial when child custody is an issue.  I have tried about 40 contested cases in this court.

245th 713-368-5900

It is located on the 15th floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge Moore is the elected Judge and Judge Cooper is his associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:30 a.m., docket call is at 10:00 a.m.   If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set within 2 weeks.  Mediation is required before temporary orders and the final trial in this court.  I have tried about 10 contested cases in this court.

247th 713-368-6570

It is located on the 15th floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge John Schmude is the elected Judge and Judge Paula Vlahakos is his associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:45 a.m., docket call is at 9:30 a.m.   If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set within 3 to 4 weeks.  Mediation is required before temporary orders in which custody is an issue and if you expect more than 3 hours on a temporary orders hearing, he will make you mediate before you can have judge time.  I have appeared several times in front of Judge Vlahakos, who is fair but quick to get excited.

280th 713-274-4680

It is located on the 7th floor of 1200 Congress. Judge Angelina Gooden  is the presiding Judge and she has no associate.  If you are served with a protective order, expect to try it the day your hearing is set.  Do not think you will go to mediation.  Hire a lawyer right away if you are served with a lawsuit in this court.  I have tried several cases in this court under the former judge, but I know Judge Gooden in practice and I have tried cases against her as a litigant.

310th 713-368-6550

It is located on the 15th floor of 201 Caroline.  Judge Millard is the elected Judge and Judge Moran  is her associate.  Uncontested matters are heard at 8:45 a.m., docket call  is at 10:00 a.m.   If you need more than 1 hour of judge’s time, then expect the hearing date to be preferential set within 3 to 4 weeks.  Mediation is required in this court before the final trial only.  I have tried about 10 contested cases in this court.

507th  (713) 274-4620

Judge Maldonado took the bench on January 1st 2017.  Her associate Judge is Jim Evans.   I knew both judges in practice and had cases against them when they were lawyers.  They are both fair and work hard for the litigants and lawyers in their court.  Sometimes too hard, it seems that your time in the court is many times not as fast as others to get in and get out.  At the same time, the Houston divorce judges do not glaze over your pleadings like some judges, and read everything you file.  Uncontested matters start at 8:30 a.m. and docket call is at 9 a.m.

 

Hiring a Houston Divorce Attorney

Ending your relationship will be a difficult and painful decision.  If you place your trust in Houston divorce attorney, we assure you that we will guide you through this procedure such that your rights are protected and at the same time your health and financial situation will also be discussed and considered in any counsel given.  Please review this website for information on temporary orders, child custody, and just and right division of the martial estate.