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Johnathan Tracy Ball

Johnathan Tracy Ball

The McAllen Divorce Lawyer
  • Family Law, Divorce
  • Texas
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Biography

Hiring a divorce lawyer does not always have to be expensive. When the parties can agree amongst themselves, the billable hours can be kept much lower. By agreeing amongst themselves, the parties can keep the cost of the divorce down. Agreements usually occur when the parties are able to decide for themselves about living arrangements of children and the division of marital property. When the parties are unable to reach agreements regarding custody and property division, those decisions are left to the court. When the decisions are left to the court, the costs of custody and property division proceedings can substantially increase. Divorce and family law cases can be expensive. But if an agreement cannot be reached and you need to fight for custody of your property, I am prepared to fight. I am double board certified in family law and criminal law. I can help you fight for everything you deserve. Call me today to discuss how to best help you.

Practice Areas
    Family Law
    Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
    Divorce
    Collaborative Law, Contested Divorce, Military Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce
Fees
  • Free Consultation
    Call today at 956-501-6565 for a free consultation.
  • Credit Cards Accepted
    PayPal, Zelle, CashApp, Venmo
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Texas
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Languages
  • Spanish
Professional Experience
Johnathan Ball Attorney at Law
Current
Education
St. Mary's University
Doctor of Jurisprudence/Juris Doctor (J.D.)
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Texas A&M University - College Station
B.A | Political Science
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Professional Associations
Hidalgo County Bar Association
Member
Current
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Hidalgo County Bar Association-Criminal Law Section
Member
Current
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Texas State Bar  # 24045443
Member
- Current
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Certifications
Board Certified in Criminal Law
Texas Board Of Legal Specialization
Board Certified in Family Law
Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Websites & Blogs
Website
McAllen Divorce Lawyer
Blog
The McAllen Divorce Lawyer
Legal Answers
4 Questions Answered
Q. Ex ordered to pay half our son’s unreimbursed medical expenses. He took off; no idea whereabouts. Next step?
A: If the insurance is State funded, you can contact the Attorney General to enforce the Court Order. Otherwise, you need to hire a lawyer to file a Motion to Enforce the Child Support Order. He can be served out of State with the Motion to Enforce. Eventually, the Court could hold him in contempt. But my experience has been the Court's will afford him an opportunity to bring himself into compliance before finding him in contempt.
Q. I informed my child’s mother that I was going to take her to court for 7 and 7 joint custody and she blocked my number
A: There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The first question I have is how old is you child? If he/she is old enough to go to school, you can likely have her served at school during pickup and drop off. If child is not in school, you may want to consider employing a private investigator to find her. Also, if you search for her and cannot find her, you may be able ask the court for alternate service where you are allowed to notify her via a family member or friend. Finally, if you know where she is staying, considering asking the police to do a wellness check on you child and document that you told mom your plans and she blocked you. Speak with an attorney to begin the process.
Q. Need legal advise for family law pertaining to alimony and spousal maintenance
A: There is a difference between alimony and spousal support. A Texas Court cannot Order alimony. It can Order spousal support. However, the parties can agree to what is called contractual alimony. If they agree to contractual alimony, then it can be put in the divorce decree and enforced as a court order. Spousal support is different. If you have been married for at least ten years, and do not possess the skills necessary to provide for your basic needs, then the court may order spousal support. Think of situations where a husband was the primary bread winner for 15 years and wife was a homemaker. Wife has not been in the workforce for those 15 years. The Court can order husband to pay monthly spousal support to allow wife time to enter the workforce and begin earning. The Court must consider also the size of the estate being awarded to wife. If it is a large estate, and wife is awarded a large six figure portion, spousal support may not happen. The court is instructed to look at the following;

the marriage has been for ten years or longer and the spouse made diligent efforts to either earn sufficient income or to develop necessary skills while the divorce is pending to meet his or her minimum reasonable needs; or

the other spouse has committed family violence; or

the requesting spouse has an incapacitating disability that arose during marriage; or

a child of the marriage (of any age) has a physical or mental disability that prevents the spouse who cares for and supervises the child from earning sufficient income.

The easiest way is to contact an attorney to have a discussion about this issue.
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Contact & Map
Johnathan Ball Attorney at Law
7022 N. 1st Lane
MCALLEN, TX 78504-1930
Toll-Free: (956) 501-6565