Young man smiling as he uses a laptop

Grammar Tip: Should I Put Commas Around a Title?

Let our own editor, Roger Siebert, guide you on whether you need commas around a book title! If you find yourself wondering whether you should put commas around a word or phrase that restates another noun, such as the book title in the sentence “The novel Carrie was published in 1974,” ask yourself if the word or phrase answers the question “Which _____?” So in this case, does “Carrie” answer the question “Which novel?” Yes, it does. Countless novels exist, and “Carrie” specifies which one we’re referring to. So the book title is necessary information and should not be set off with commas.

Ditch the Binders! The Texas Family Law Practice Manual Is Now a Softbound Book!

We are thrilled to announce the publication of the streamlined 2020 edition of the Texas Family Law Practice Manual, an essential resource on which family law attorneys in Texas have come to rely.

No longer a bulky set of six three-ring binders paired with a practice notes book, the Texas Family Law Practice Manual is now a beautiful four-volume softbound set, complete with a digital download of the entire book, including forms.

Software Savvy: Word Templates

Is there a way to recreate variations of frequently-used documents without having to start from scratch? Especially those with special formatting? If creating a new blank document is your usual go-to, it’s worth taking a look at the templates Microsoft Word includes. From business letters to lists, calendars, and more, using an existing template can help you avoid formatting struggles and can give you a polished-looking end product.

Grammar Tip: Parenthetical Content

Let our own editor, Roger Siebert, guide you on parenthetical content. Parenthetical content is a word, phrase, or sentence that functions as an aside, briefly departing from the main discourse. The punctuation normally used to separate parenthetical content from the main text is, of course, parentheses, but parenthetical commas or em dashes may also be used.

Note Regarding Suits to Terminate the Parent-Child Relationship

An important change to the rules regarding suits to terminate the parent-child relationship takes effect on May 1, 2020.

On January 8, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court issued an Order Amending Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 277 under Misc. Docket No. 20-9008. The order gave notice of a proposed amendment to Tex. R. Civ. P. 277 that would require certain specific findings in suits to terminate the parent-child relationship.

Attn: Download New Emergency Procedure Forms in Wake of COVID-19 Outbreak Here

As a free service to the members of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, please find an Order on Motion for Use of Emergency Procedures, which will become Form 8-82 in the Family Law Practice Manual (“the Formbook”) (https://texasbarpractice.com/product/texas-family-law-practice-manual-2020/). Among other features, this order contains a model of detailed procedures for remote proceedings.

Updated Word Form Collaborative Law —Start to Finish

An updated Word form for Collaborative Law—Start to Finish is available for download.

Click the download button below for a zip file containing the updated version of Form 12. Save the file to the desktop and extract the Word document without modifying its file name.