McEachern Law Firm

09/02/2026

Due to power and internet outages, our office will be closed for the day, Wednesday, September 2nd. If you have an appointment scheduled, please call or email to reschedule. If you have an emergency in the meantime, please shoot us an email. Stay safe you guys. Photo credit is from Greg Bostwick's page.

08/16/2026

New tech continues to rapidly change the World. AI can be a valuable tool, but can also be dangerous if not properly validated or if misused, particularly in the legal field and court system. Interesting read below about how a litigant without an attorney tried to rig his case using AI:

https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/the-first-documented-prompt-injection-1799990/?fbclid=Iwb21leATungdjbGNrBO6avHBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEe3OyNPvnL9orevBBUVsVcwMJeS8g5cWCuwRR_mdCcV5-O40tn752_c1VUuw0_aem_lFr_uxYqNobmNHwapC0tlg

08/13/2026

Thank you guys, for letting me be a part of your special day. While today may have been significant "officially on paper," these "adoptive parents" have been this adult "child's" caretakers his entire life. Your love and your actions for him already prove that you are his parents, but today, we made it official on paper. Congratulations, and thank you to Judge Earl Stover for making this a special occasion, as usual.

I was happy to preside over an adult adoption before I had to take on a big contested family law docket It was the only “happy business” of a difficult week
The young man had barely turned 18 and wanted to be adopted by the family members who raised him Little sister will also be adopted in the future. He agreed to bring his parents a Whataburger when they are in an old folks home !!

04/17/2026

Reel Talk.

COMMON LAW (INFORMAL) MARRIAGES: you don't necessarily need a ceremony and wedding rings to be considered married in Texas. If you meet ALL of the following three (3) requirements, Texas law may characterize you as married without having a ceremony in a church or before a judge:

1. LIVING TOGETHER IN TEXAS AS SPOUSES: You must cohabitate in Texas as a couple;

2. HOLDING OUT TO OTHERS AS MARRIED: You present yourselves publicly as married (e.g., introducing each other as husband/wife, filing taxes together, using the same last name, etc); and

3. PRESENT AGREEMENT TO BE MARRIED: Both people must agree that they are presently married (not just dating or engaged for marriage at a later date).

This is important, because all property accumulated during a "marriage" is presumed to be "community property," subject to a just and right division in a divorce. So, be informed, and if necessary, contact our office to discuss.