Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Support
  Since both parents are legally obligated to support their children financially, the judge in a divorce will generally order the non-custodial parent to pay a monthly amount to the parent with primary custody to help support the children. Texas law provides statutory guidelines to help the judge determine the appropriate amount to award. Depending upon the number of children to be supported, this amount may range from 20% to 40% of the paying spouse’s income. This amount is advisory only, however, and the judge is free to change the amount if convinced a different figure would be more appropriate. If seeking or challenging a deviation from the guidelines amount, knowledgeable and experienced legal representation is essential.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  The dissolution of a marriage involves the resolution of issues such as the division of property, child custody and support, and spousal maintenance, which can work tremendous changes on an individual’s finances and continue to have an impact for years to come. Ideally, a divorcing couple is able to work out these issues together, but that is not always the case. With a solid background in civil trial practice and family law litigation, the Brownsville family attorneys at Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer, L.L.P. provide strong, focused representation to help clients in divorce and custody disputes meet their needs.
• Spousal Support
  Spousal maintenance, known elsewhere as spousal support or alimony, is not granted in every divorce. In fact, in most cases Texas courts start with the presumption that no award of maintenance is appropriate. It is up to the spouse seeking maintenance to prove an applicable ground for maintenance and justify the need for an award. If granted, a maintenance award may last from five to ten years depending on the length of the marriage, but in any event the judge will order maintenance for the shortest amount of time deemed reasonable to help the receiving spouse become self-supporting. An award of spouse maintenance can be up to $5,000 a month, or 20% of the paying spouse’s average gross monthly income, whichever is less. While the requesting spouse must demonstrate to the judge that an award is appropriate, the other spouse may challenge the request in a courtroom trial.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
• Murder
  Over the years, some of South Texas’ most notorious criminals have been incarcerated in the jail. In 1916, Melquiades Chapa and Jose Buenrostro, convicted murderers from the border “bandit raid” era of 1915 – 1916, were executed on May 19, 1916. Famed turn-of-the-century border photographer Robert Runyon documented that hanging with both candid action photographs and a formal portrait of the two men. The jail also served as the temporary residence of Charles “Hit Man” Harrelson — father of actor Woody Harrelson of “Cheers” Fame — after his arrest for the murder of a resident of Hidalgo County. The elder Harrelson was later convicted in the assassination of United States District Judge John H. Wood of San Antonio, Texas.

Business and Corporate Law

• Business Disputes
  When business disputes arise and it appears that litigation is going to be the only path to a resolution, it is critical that you secure the services of a law firm you can rely on for skillful courtroom representation. The future of your business could be on the line in these matters, and having the right lawyer behind you can help to ensure a favorable outcome.
• Intellectual Property

Employment Law

• Sexual Harassment
  Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer, L.L.P. provides solid, professional defense in the full range of injury claims in areas including products liability, trucking defense, toxic torts, automotive products liability, medical device litigation, and more. Additionally, the firm is well-versed in insurance coverage disputes and insurance defense, as well as all forms of commercial litigation, contract disputes, and labor and employment law claims, including discrimination and sexual harassment. The firm also engages in a thriving family law practice, with a focus on family law litigation in divorce and custody matters.

Property Law

• Premises Liability
  This lawsuit was tried to a jury in Cameron County, Texas the week of September 26, 2022.  The case arose out of a motor vehicle accident between Plaintiff Matthew Todd Gillespie (“Plaintiff”) and Co-Defendant Indira Garcia.  The accident occurred at an intersection located at a shopping plaza parking lot owned and managed by MIG Campanil Properties, LLC, TPI Sunrise Palms, LLC, and Tarantino Properties, Inc (“premises Defendants”).  Plaintiff alleged that the parking lot intersection posed an unreasonable risk of harm because it did not include a traffic control device.  Partner Jaime A. Saenz and associate Luis R. Solis represented the premises Defendants.  The defense focused on Plaintiff’s own negligence as he approached the parking lot intersection in his motorcycle and presented expert testimony that no traffic control device was required at the subject parking lot intersection.  The defense also asserted that Plaintiff could not carry his burden as to his premises liability claims without expert testimony.  After a three-day trial, the jury found that the premises Defendants had been responsible and that Plaintiff had been contributorily negligent, reducing his total award of damages against the premises Defendants to $649,400.00. The premises Defendants promptly filed an appeal to the Thirteenth Court of Appeals.  Appellate review is pending.
• Construction Litigation
  When faced with a lawsuit alleging construction defects, we understand that your business is facing far more than just a complaint for damages. The reputation of your business, the livelihoods of your team, and the value of your name are all at stake. Your team’s hard work on a multimillion-dollar project could easily be vanquished by a few short sentences on a piece of paper. Modern construction litigation is ferocious. The battlefield is complicated by design, with copious parties involved and numerous, often baseless allegations. Politics, secret agreements, and insurance disputes can further influence an already sinking pit of unforeseeable expenses, uncertain outcomes, and endless delays.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Brownsville is an integral link in the supply-chain logistics of the automotive industrial corridor. While automobile manufacturing has produced safer automobiles every year for decades, public expectations, government safety standards, and the frequency of litigation, have all increased. Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer, L.L.P. applies decades of experience in personal injury and products liability defense to the representation of automobile and component parts manufacturers in litigation alleging injuries attributed to automotive design defects. Contact one of our Brownsville automotive product liability defense attorneys to get the help you need today.

Trusts and Estates

• Wills
  No matter the subject, from civil litigation to criminal defense, from bankruptcies to probate and will contests, the trial attorneys at Colvin, Saenz, Rodriguez & Kennamer, L.L.P. are well-equipped to take on your matter and provide representation in court. Call 956-542-7441 to arrange a consultation at our offices in Brownsville or Edinburg.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
• Foreclosure