The Woodlands, TX Attorney – Family Law & Criminal Defense

A contested divorce or a custody fight can unsettle everything you thought was steady, from where your children sleep to how the home and the retirement accounts get divided. When the other side digs in, you need a family law attorney that you can count on to hold the line. The lawyer you choose can shape how much say you have in what comes next.

When the lawyer handling a case like this folds the moment the other side refuses to settle, the cost lands on you. You can lose time with your children, ground on parenting decisions, or a fair share of what you built together, and those losses are hard to undo once a judge signs the order.

Horak Law is a Texas family law firm based in The Woodlands, minutes from the families we represent and a short drive from the Montgomery County courts where your case will be heard. Founder Matt Horak has spent more than 23 years in Texas courtrooms and tried more than 100 contested cases. We prepare a contested matter as a case that could go to trial, so the terms your family is offered reflect what the other side knows we are ready to prove.

Why The Woodlands Families Choose Horak Law

Our homebase office sits in The Woodlands at 25911 Oak Ridge Dr., minutes from where you live and a straight run up Interstate 45 from the Conroe courthouses that hear Montgomery County family cases. You work with a local team rather than a call center or an office far from the courthouse, and you meet us near home instead of driving into downtown Houston. That closeness lets us reach the county courts quickly when your case is set for a hearing.

We handle contested divorce, custody, and support the way a case that may be tried deserves to be handled, building the record from the first filing forward. Families across Montgomery County and northern Harris County trust us with the full range of family law matters, and we bring the same preparation to every case.

What Courtroom Experience Brings to a Contested Family Law Case

Matt Horak has more than 23 years of Texas trial experience and has tried more than 100 contested cases, and he was named a Texas Super Lawyer in 2025 and 2026. His years as a former Harris County prosecutor built the courtroom experience he brings to a hard-fought family matter, where thorough preparation and credibility shape what the other side is willing to offer.

You also work with associate attorney Nicole Maldonado, a military veteran, former middle school teacher, and mother who has been through a divorce herself. Two senior paralegals, Alma Vargas and Ana McLaughlin, bring more than 20 and more than 14 years of family law experience, and our team supports clients in English and Spanish.

Client Testimonials

“Horak Law is an exceptional firm. Matt Horak and his team took the time to listen to my concerns, explain every step of the process, and fight for me every step of the way. Its incredibly refreshing to have a team that genuinely cares and keeps you informed. It makes all the difference. I can’t express how grateful I am for everything they’ve done for me. They put in the time, effort, and attention to detail to make sure things are done the right way. They’re strategic, and they don’t back down when things get difficult. They stand by you, fight for you, and never give up. They truly want the best outcome for their clients, and it shows in everything they do. I am beyond thankful that I found them.” — Alexandra

“Mr. Horak and his team are truly exceptional and I’m very grateful for their expertise! I was embarking on a very tough divorce journey, and Matt and all the others at Horak law made the experience as smooth as possible with a positive outcome. His team is very responsive to messages and they were always willing to set up a meeting to discuss in more detail if I had questions or didn’t understand something. I would absolutely recommend Matt Horak and his team for a family law matter.” — Emily

Where Montgomery County Family Law Cases Are Filed and Heard

One of the first questions you may have is where you will actually have to appear. The Woodlands has no family courthouse of its own, so a Woodlands family case is filed and heard at the county seat in Conroe, to the north.

Montgomery County family law matters are filed with the District Clerk in Conroe and heard in the Montgomery County district courts there, roughly 20 miles north up Interstate 45 from The Woodlands. The 284th, 359th, 410th, 418th, and 435th District Courts hear family matters, and they sit at 301 North Main and 207 West Phillips in Conroe.

Each court publishes standing orders and local rules that can apply from the day your case is filed, and those rules may shape what you can and cannot do while the case is open. Texas also sets a residency threshold before a divorce can be filed here. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 6.301, either spouse generally must have lived in Texas for the preceding six months and in the county for the preceding 90 days.

Texas also builds in a waiting period. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 6.702, a court may not grant a divorce before the 60th day after the case is filed, so every divorce takes at least that long to finish. Knowing the venue and these thresholds early can help you plan the first step with confidence.

Divorce and Property Division for The Woodlands Families

If you are staring at the prospect of dividing the house, the retirement account, and a business you helped build, the fear of walking away financially exposed is real. Texas law gives the court a framework for splitting a marital estate, and understanding it can steady you before the first hearing.

Texas is a community property state. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 3.003, property either spouse holds during or at the end of the marriage is presumed to be community property, and overcoming that presumption takes clear and convincing evidence.

Separate property is treated differently. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 3.001, it generally includes what you owned before marriage and what you received by gift, devise, or descent.

When the court divides the estate, it follows Tex. Fam. Code § 7.001, which calls for a division that is just and right. Just and right does not mean an automatic 50/50 split, and the result depends on the facts of your marriage and your family. Because dividing assets can affect their after-tax value, it can help to review the tax side with a certified public accountant as part of the plan.

How property division plays out depends on the size and complexity of your estate. A larger or more tangled estate, common in a high-net-worth divorce, raises added questions of asset division, and a contested divorce can make each one harder to resolve. The full sequence of a filing runs through our divorce process page, and our divorce overview is a useful starting point if you are still getting your bearings.

Child Custody and Child Support in Montgomery County

Few fears are more intense than the thought of losing time with your children or ground on the decisions that shape their lives. Texas gives the court one guiding standard for these questions, and it applies to every custody matter in Montgomery County.

Under Tex. Fam. Code § 153.002, the best interest of the child is the primary consideration in decisions about conservatorship and possession. The court may also weigh evidence of a history of family violence under Tex. Fam. Code § 153.004 when it decides how a child is cared for. Our child custody practice covers how these standards play out when conservatorship is contested.

Child support in Texas follows a guideline formula tied to the paying parent’s monthly net resources. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 154.125, the guideline percentages apply up to a capped amount of net resources. That cap is $11,700 in monthly net resources, effective September 1, 2025, a figure the Texas Attorney General published in the Texas Register rather than one written into the statute itself.

When a parent earns above the cap, the court may order additional support under Tex. Fam. Code § 154.126, based on the proven needs of the child. Our child support practice explains how those guideline figures are calculated.

When a Woodlands Order Needs to Change

A custody or support order set years ago can stop fitting the life you actually live. Texas allows an existing order to be revisited when circumstances have shifted enough to justify it.

Under Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101, a conservatorship or possession order may be modified when there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances. A similar standard applies to child support under Tex. Fam. Code § 156.401.

The 2025 cap increase does not adjust an existing order on its own. A modification has to be filed and granted before the amount is recalculated. Our custody modification and child support modification pages cover what that process involves, and our guide to requesting a child support modification walks through the steps.

Family Law Matters We Handle in The Woodlands

Common Questions About Family Law Cases in The Woodlands

How Long Does a Divorce Take in Montgomery County?

Every Texas divorce takes at least 60 days because Tex. Fam. Code § 6.702 bars a court from granting one before the 60th day after filing. That is the minimum wait, and most cases take longer than that. A contested matter involving custody, support, or a disputed estate usually runs well past it, and our post on how long a divorce takes in Texas breaks down what stretches the timeline.

Do I Have to Live in Montgomery County to File?

You generally need to meet the state residency rule before filing here. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 6.301, either spouse must have lived in Texas for the six months preceding the filing and in the county for the 90 days preceding the filing. If you recently moved to The Woodlands, the 90-day county requirement can affect your timing, so it is worth confirming your dates before you file.

Can a Woodlands Child Support Order Be Changed After the 2025 Cap Increase?

Yes, but the higher cap does not change your order by itself. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 156.401, a support order can be modified when circumstances have changed materially, and the change has to be filed and granted before any new amount takes effect. If your income or your child’s needs have shifted, a review can show whether a modification fits your situation.

Request a Confidential Case Review in The Woodlands

Facing a contested divorce, a custody dispute, or a support order that no longer fits your life is a heavy place to stand, and there is rarely time to wait. Horak Law works with families in Montgomery County and northern Harris County from our office in The Woodlands, close to home and close to the Conroe courts that will hear your case.

Before the other side sets the terms or a deadline slips past, a conversation can show you where your case stands and what your options are. Call us at 713-225-8000 or reach us through our contact page to request a confidential case review.