I’ve been told that Texas is a no-fault state and the fact that my wife is an alcoholic and emotionally abusive to me and our kids doesn’t mean anything in a divorce. We live in Dallas and have a house and a business together. Her behavior has negatively impacted our customers and our business as a whole. I don’t think it’s fair that her actions don’t count for anything. If I do pursue a divorce, will a judge consider what she’s done to me and our family when they divide up our property? Is there something I have to include in the divorce papers to let the court know about her behavior?

My husband and I are interested in adopting an older child. We live in Dalla and we’ve located several children on the Texas Adoption Resource Exchange who might be available for adoption. If we pursue one of those children, will the state represent us or do we need our own attorney? Does Texas offer any adoption subsidies or assistance if we adopt an older child with special needs? We are also told that a child of a certain age has to consent to the adoption. If they don’t want to be adopted, is it possible we could take custody without a formal adoption? And if we do need a lawyer, how do we locate one with experience in state adoptions or custody?