Family Law

• Divorce
  For an agreed divorce, James P. Peterson Attorney at Law is one of the most affordable firms in San Antonio. With your emotional and financial interest in mind, as your lawyer, attorney Peterson always tries to start from this point. But sometimes, people simply cannot agree, especially when it comes to child custody. In that situation, contested divorces will cost more.
• Child Support
  If you are having a problem collecting child support from your child's father or mother, hiring a lawyer, rather than going through the attorney general, can expedite the process. It is a responsibility of the State Office of the Attorney General in Texas to collect child support and enforce orders. However, they cannot serve as your legal representative. And because of their caseload, an enforcement through the attorney general can take a minimum of three months. Some take as long as 18 months.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  James P. Peterson Attorney at Law has devoted his entire career as a lawyer to family law matters in San Antonio. There is often a lot of heartache involved in divorce and child custody cases. Since 1986, his compassion for people and children going through these traumatic life events helps them move on from these crossroads.
• Adoption
  The well-being and upbringing of a child are not only the responsibility of the biological parent. When a child's biological parent remarries, the stepparent may seek to become the legal parent to their spouse's child through adoption. Stepparent adoption allows the stepparent to take over the legal rights of the non-custodial parent – absent biological parent – who has relinquished their parental rights. If you're considering adopting your stepchild or want to understand the stepparent adoption process, consulting with an experienced Texas adoption attorney is important for detailed guidance.
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
• Guardianship
  If you become incompetent and you do not have a power of attorney, your relatives must seek guardianship to manage your affairs. You do not want your loved ones to be forced to seek guardianship. Guardianship is expensive to establish and stressful to maintain. Becoming incapacitated without having a power of attorney designation in place can cause tremendous stress and potential conflicts among your loved ones. These instruments are vital to make sure you, your family and estate, and you yourself are cared for when you lack the ability to act on your own. Everyone hopes that never happens, but planning for unforeseen events is crucial.
• Spousal Support
  Our legal services include — but are not limited to — adoption, divorce, property settlement agreements, valuation of assets, spousal support, child custody, visitation, and child support issues, paternity determinations, modification of support and custody, annulments, alimony, wills, probate, and guardianships.
• Annulment
• Child Abuse
  This involves adopting a child through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) or Child Protective Services (CPS). The prospective adoptive parent can work with DFPS or CPS to adopt children who have been removed from their former homes due to high-risk situations, such as child abuse, neglect, or abandonment. James P Peterson helps foster parents adopt their child with the CPS process and outside the CPS process.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  James P Peterson has devoted his career to offering experienced legal services and guiding heirs and fiduciaries throughout the complexities of the probate process. As a knowledgeable Texas estate planning attorney, he can review your unique circumstances and enlighten you about what to expect during the probate proceedings. Additionally, James P Peterson can help you understand your roles and responsibilities as an executor and guide you through every step of the probate administration process. He is proud to serve clients throughout San Antonio, Texas, and the surrounding areas of New Braunfels and Boerne.
• Wills
  Caring.com, only one in three American adults (32.9%) have a valid will or estate plan. Drafting a last will and testament makes it possible for you to provide specific instructions regarding what will happen to your estate and assets after you’re gone. Whether you have a large or small estate, creating a will is an important step you can take to protect your family, and protect your assets, investments, and other interests.
• Trusts
  There are many types of trusts, each having a particular purpose, such as an “ILIT†which holds life insurance to avoid federal estate taxes, or a “Special Needs Trust†which hold the assets of a disabled person while allowing him or her to receive Medicaid or other federal benefits, or a “Miller Trust†for a person with slightly too much income to qualify for Medicaid when moving into a nursing home. But by far the most common trust used in America today is the Revocable Grantor Trust, which largely takes the place of a will and provides benefits during one's lifetime and a smooth transition after death or incapacity.
• Power of Attorney
  A durable power of attorney for financial matters allows you to appoint someone to oversee your investments and manage your estate when you are no longer able to do so. A medical power of attorney will grant your appointed agent the power to carry out your emergency medical and end-of-life decisions should you become incapacitated.
• Probate
  Since 1986, James P. Peterson Attorney at Law has been practicing family and probate law in San Antonio, Texas. When you hire him, his goal for you is this: Solving your legal issue as amicably — and cost-effectively — as possible.