Highland Park & University Park
Divorce involving family trusts, inherited wealth, and business ownership calls for careful documentation and a clear view of what belongs to whom. Katie L. Lewis, P.C. Family Law, a Dallas family law firm, works with clients in Highland Park and University Park on these matters.
Schedule a ConsultationWho we work with
Highland Park and University Park are separate municipalities surrounded by the City of Dallas, often referred to together as the Park Cities. Our office is in Dallas at 10440 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1100. We do not have an office in either community, and we work with clients from both. Katie L. Lewis is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Focus areas
Below is a general overview of issues that often arise when a marriage involves significant or complex assets. It is meant to help you understand the questions involved, not to predict how they will be resolved in any particular case.
Texas is a community property state. In a divorce, the court divides the community estate in a manner it considers just and right, which is not always an equal split. When an estate includes real estate, investment and brokerage accounts, deferred compensation, retirement plans, or private investments, the first task is usually building an accurate inventory of what exists and how each item is held.
From there, the work typically involves identifying which assets are community, which may be separate, and which need valuation or further documentation before anyone can make an informed decision about settlement or trial.
Related: High-net-worth divorce
Some families hold wealth through trusts created by parents or grandparents. How a trust is treated in a divorce depends on its terms, who created and funded it, who controls it, and how distributions have been made and used during the marriage.
Trust instruments, distribution histories, and account records often matter as much as the trust's name or purpose. Reviewing those documents early helps clarify what questions the case actually presents, including how distributions that were spent on, or mixed with, household finances may be characterized.
Related: Property division
Under Texas law, property owned before marriage or received during marriage by gift or inheritance is generally separate property. Property possessed by either spouse when the marriage ends is presumed to be community property, and a spouse claiming otherwise must prove the separate character of an asset by clear and convincing evidence.
Tracing is how that proof is assembled: following funds or assets from their separate origin through sales, reinvestments, and transfers to what exists today. It often depends on records that are years or decades old, so identifying gaps in the paper trail early is an important part of preparation.
Related: Property division
A family business, professional practice, or ownership stake in a closely held company raises its own set of questions: whether the interest is community or separate, how it should be valued, whether its value grew during the marriage, and how compensation and distributions were handled along the way.
These matters frequently involve outside professionals such as business valuators or forensic accountants, along with company agreements, tax returns, and financial statements. The goal is a clear, documented picture of the business so that decisions about division rest on evidence rather than assumptions.
Related: Business owner divorce
Before a consultation
You do not need to have everything in hand before reaching out. If they are available, documents like these can make a first conversation more productive, and the firm's attorneys can explain which records matter for your situation.
Next step
If you are considering divorce or have been served, and your situation involves trusts, separate property, or a business, contact the firm to begin the intake process. The team will learn about your circumstances and explain what happens next.
No. Katie L. Lewis, P.C. Family Law is based in Dallas at 10440 N. Central Expressway, Suite 1100, and works with clients who live in Highland Park, University Park, and throughout the Dallas area.
Not automatically. Property received by gift or inheritance is generally separate under Texas law, but the presumption at divorce is that property is community, and separate character must be proven. How a trust or inherited asset is treated depends on its terms, its records, and how it was handled during the marriage.
Incomplete records are common, especially for assets acquired long ago. Part of the early work is identifying what documents exist, what can still be obtained from banks or other institutions, and where the gaps are. A consultation is the right place to discuss the specifics.
No. This page provides general information about Texas family law. Every case depends on its own facts, and you should speak with a licensed attorney about your situation before making decisions.