Capstone: Family-Case Docket
Capstone
Family-Case Docket
A complete docket model connects marriage status, dissolution, property, custody factors, support arithmetic, maintenance, protective records, identity orders, modifications, and strict handoff.
Structured Visual
Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-08-28; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Scope and honesty note
Jurisdiction: Texas-centered comparative family-law classroom model as of 2026-08-29; governing statutes, procedure, facts, remedies, and other states vary. Synthetic records are classroom inputs, not legal advice. The model cannot form a relationship, establish marriage or parentage, divide property, decide custody, calculate a binding award, determine maintenance eligibility, change a name, assess safety, or predict a family-case outcome. Cite, expose uncertainty, abstain, and hand off.
See the essential structure first
Start with this deliberately incomplete structure, then use the pinned authorities, worked application, exceptions, and handoff below. This deliberately incomplete preview has 5 nodes; exceptions and legal consequences remain in the sourced prose below.
Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-08-28; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Begin with family-law doctrine
A family-case docket is an event-and-issue graph, not a prediction engine. It preserves jurisdiction, filing, service, evidence, temporary and final orders, notice, review, enforcement, and modification while routing each issue to its own substantive source. Marriage status does not decide property characterization; property division does not decide support; custody factors do not become a score; support arithmetic does not become an order; a protective application does not become a finding; and an identity order does not update every record. Sensitive branches retain strict abstention and authorized-human control.
Marriage-status branch
The informal-marriage provision anchors the agreement, cohabitation, and holding-out evidence branch. Verbatim source text: “Tex. Family Code Sec. 2.401. PROOF OF INFORMAL MARRIAGE. (a) In a judicial, administrative, or other proceeding, the marriage of a man and woman may be proved by evidence that: (1) a declaration of their marriage has been signed as provided by this subchapter; or (2) the man and woman agreed to be married and after the agreement they lived together in this state as husband and wife and there represented to others that they were married. (b) If a proceeding in which a marriage is to be proved as provided by Subsection (a)(2) is not commenced before the second anniversary of the date on which the parties separated and ceased living together, it is rebuttably presumed that the parties did not enter into an agreement to be married. (c) A person under 18 years of age may not: (1) be a party to an informal marriage; or (2) execute a declaration of informal marriage under Section 2.402. (d) A person may not be a party to an informal marriage or execute a declaration of an informal marriage if the person is presently married to a person who is not the other party to the informal marriage or declaration of an informal marriage, as applicable.” Source: Tex. Family Code § 2.401; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_2/section_2_401/tex_fa_2_401_c205f138a885/tex_family_code_sec_2_401_proof_of_informal_marriage_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Property branch
The just-and-right statute anchors discretionary division without a mandatory equal result. Verbatim source text: “Tex. Family Code Sec. 7.001. GENERAL RULE OF PROPERTY DIVISION. In a decree of divorce or annulment, the court shall order a division of the estate of the parties in a manner that the court deems just and right, having due regard for the rights of each party and any children of the marriage. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 7, Sec. 1, eff. April 17, 1997.” Source: Tex. Family Code § 7.001; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_7/section_7_001/tex_fa_7_001_415c3b5ff731/tex_family_code_sec_7_001_general_rule_of_property_division_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Maintenance branch
The eligibility statute anchors threshold and alternative maintenance pathways. Verbatim source text: “Tex. Family Code Sec. 8.051. ELIGIBILITY FOR MAINTENANCE. In a suit for dissolution of a marriage or in a proceeding for maintenance in a court with personal jurisdiction over both former spouses following the dissolution of their marriage by a court that lacked personal jurisdiction over an absent spouse, the court may order maintenance for either spouse only if the spouse seeking maintenance will lack sufficient property, including the spouse's separate property, on dissolution of the marriage to provide for the spouse's minimum reasonable needs and: (1) the spouse from whom maintenance is requested was convicted of or received deferred adjudication for a criminal offense that also constitutes an act of family violence, as defined by Section 71.004, committed during the marriage against the other spouse or the other spouse's child and the offense occurred: (A) within two years before the date on which a suit for dissolution of the marriage is filed; or (B) while the suit is pending; or (2) the spouse seeking maintenance: (A) is unable to earn sufficient income to provide for the spouse's minimum reasonable needs because of an incapacitating physical or mental disability; (B) has been married to the other spouse for 10 years or longer and lacks the ability to earn sufficient income to provide for the spouse's minimum reasonable needs; or (C) is the custodian of a child of the marriage of any age who requires substantial care and personal supervision because of a physical or mental disability that prevents the spouse from earning sufficient income to provide for the spouse's minimum reasonable needs.” Source: Tex. Family Code § 8.051; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_8/section_8_051/tex_fa_8_051_7f75fb99973d/tex_family_code_sec_8_051_eligibility_for_maintenance_in_a_s_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Child-order branch
The final-order provision anchors populated child-order and support fields. Verbatim source text: “Tex. Family Code Sec. 105.006. CONTENTS OF FINAL ORDER. (a) A final order, other than in a proceeding under Chapter 161 or 162, must contain: (1) the social security number and driver's license number of each party to the suit, including the child, except that the child's social security number or driver's license number is not required if the child has not been assigned a social security number or driver's license number; and (2) each party's current residence address, mailing address, e-mail address, home telephone number, name of employer, address of employment, and work telephone number, except as provided by Subsection (c). (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the court shall order each party to inform each other party, the court that rendered the order, and the state case registry under Chapter 234 of an intended change in any of the information required by this section as long as any person, as a result of the order, is under an obligation to pay child support or is entitled to possession of or access to a child. The court shall order that notice of the intended change be given at the earlier of: (1) the 60th day before the date the party intends to make the change; or (2) the fifth day after the date that the party knew of the change, if the party did not know or could not have known of the change in sufficient time to comply with Subdivision (1). (c) If a court finds after notice and hearing that requiring a party to provide the information required by this section to another party is likely to cause the child or a conservator harassment, abuse, serious harm, or injury, or to subject the child or a conservator to family violence, as defined by Section 71.004, the court may: (1) order the information not to be disclosed to another party; or (2) render any other order the court considers necessary. (c-1) Except as provided by Subsection (c-2), if a court renders an order under Subsection (c) prohibiting the disclosure of a party's information, the court shall require that the party provide to the court, for inclusion in the final order, an e-mail address at which the party may receive: (1) notice and service of process of subsequent motions, petitions, or other legal pleadings using the electronic filing system established under Section 72.031, Government Code; and (2) other legal documents or required notices. (c-2) If the court finds that requiring a party to provide an e-mail address under Subsection (c-1) is likely to endanger the safety of the party, the court may not require the party to provide the e-mail address under that subsection. (d) An order in a suit that orders child support or possession of or access to a child must contain the following prominently displayed statement in boldfaced type, capital letters, or underlined: "FAILURE TO OBEY A COURT ORDER FOR CHILD SUPPORT OR FOR POSSESSION OF OR ACCESS TO A CHILD MAY RESULT IN FURTHER LITIGATION TO ENFORCE THE ORDER, INCLUDING CONTEMPT OF COURT. A FINDING OF CONTEMPT MAY BE PUNISHED BY CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, A FINE OF UP TO $500 FOR EACH VIOLATION, AND A MONEY JUDGMENT FOR PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COURT COSTS." "FAILURE OF A PARTY TO MAKE A CHILD SUPPORT PAYMENT TO THE PLACE AND IN THE MANNER REQUIRED BY A COURT ORDER MAY RESULT IN THE PARTY NOT RECEIVING CREDIT FOR MAKING THE PAYMENT." "FAILURE OF A PARTY TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT DOES NOT JUSTIFY DENYING THAT PARTY COURT-ORDERED POSSESSION OF OR ACCESS TO A CHILD. REFUSAL BY A PARTY TO ALLOW POSSESSION OF OR ACCESS TO A CHILD DOES NOT JUSTIFY FAILURE TO PAY COURT-ORDERED CHILD SUPPORT TO THAT PARTY." (e) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an order in a suit that orders child support or possession of or access to a child must also contain the following prominently displayed statement in boldfaced type, capital letters, or underlined: "EACH PERSON WHO IS A PARTY TO THIS ORDER IS ORDERED TO NOTIFY EACH OTHER PARTY, THE COURT, AND THE STATE CASE REGISTRY OF ANY CHANGE IN THE PARTY'S CURRENT RESIDENCE ADDRESS, MAILING ADDRESS, E-MAIL ADDRESS, HOME TELEPHONE NUMBER, NAME OF EMPLOYER, ADDRESS OF EMPLOYMENT, DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER, AND WORK TELEPHONE NUMBER. THE PARTY IS ORDERED TO GIVE NOTICE OF AN INTENDED CHANGE IN ANY OF THE REQUIRED INFORMATION TO EACH OTHER PARTY, THE COURT, AND THE STATE CASE REGISTRY ON OR BEFORE THE 60TH DAY BEFORE THE INTENDED CHANGE. IF THE PARTY DOES NOT KNOW OR COULD NOT HAVE KNOWN OF THE CHANGE IN SUFFICIENT TIME TO PROVIDE 60-DAY NOTICE, THE PARTY IS ORDERED TO GIVE NOTICE OF THE CHANGE ON OR BEFORE THE FIFTH DAY AFTER THE DATE THAT THE PARTY KNOWS OF THE CHANGE." "THE DUTY TO FURNISH THIS INFORMATION TO EACH OTHER PARTY, THE COURT, AND THE STATE CASE REGISTRY CONTINUES AS LONG AS ANY PERSON, BY VIRTUE OF THIS ORDER, IS UNDER AN OBLIGATION TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT OR ENTITLED TO POSSESSION OF OR ACCESS TO A CHILD." "FAILURE BY A PARTY TO OBEY THE ORDER OF THIS COURT TO PROVIDE EACH OTHER PARTY, THE COURT, AND THE STATE CASE REGISTRY WITH THE CHANGE IN THE REQUIRED INFORMATION MAY RESULT IN FURTHER LITIGATION TO ENFORCE THE ORDER, INCLUDING CONTEMPT OF COURT. A FINDING OF CONTEMPT MAY BE PUNISHED BY CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR UP TO SIX MONTHS, A FINE OF UP TO $500 FOR EACH VIOLATION, AND A MONEY JUDGMENT FOR PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COURT COSTS." (e-1) An order in a suit that provides for the possession of or access to a child must contain the following prominently displayed statement in boldfaced type, in capital letters, or underlined: "NOTICE TO ANY PEACE OFFICER OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: YOU MAY USE REASONABLE EFFORTS TO ENFORCE THE TERMS OF CHILD CUSTODY SPECIFIED IN THIS ORDER. A PEACE OFFICER WHO RELIES ON THE TERMS OF A COURT ORDER AND THE OFFICER'S AGENCY ARE ENTITLED TO THE APPLICABLE IMMUNITY AGAINST ANY CLAIM, CIVIL OR OTHERWISE, REGARDING THE OFFICER'S GOOD FAITH ACTS PERFORMED IN THE SCOPE OF THE OFFICER'S DUTIES IN ENFORCING THE TERMS OF THE ORDER THAT RELATE TO CHILD CUSTODY. ANY PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY PRESENTS FOR ENFORCEMENT AN ORDER THAT IS INVALID OR NO LONGER IN EFFECT COMMITS AN OFFENSE THAT MAY BE PUNISHABLE BY CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR AS LONG AS TWO YEARS AND A FINE OF AS MUCH AS $10,000." (e-2) An order in a suit that orders child support must contain the following prominently displayed statement in boldfaced type, in capital letters, or underlined: "THE COURT MAY MODIFY THIS ORDER THAT PROVIDES FOR THE SUPPORT OF A CHILD, IF: (1) THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CHILD OR A PERSON AFFECTED BY THE ORDER HAVE MATERIALLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGED; OR (2) IT HAS BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE THE ORDER WAS RENDERED OR LAST MODIFIED AND THE MONTHLY AMOUNT OF THE CHILD SUPPORT AWARD UNDER THE ORDER DIFFERS BY EITHER 20 PERCENT OR $100 FROM THE AMOUNT THAT WOULD BE AWARDED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CHILD SUPPORT GUIDELINES." (f) Except for an action in which contempt is sought, in any subsequent child support modification or enforcement action, the court may, on a showing that diligent effort has been made to determine the location of a party, consider due process requirements for notice and service of process to be met with respect to that party on delivery of written notice to the most recent residence address, e-mail address, or address of employment filed by that party with the court and the state case registry. (g) The Title IV-D agency shall promulgate and provide forms for a party to use in reporting to the court and the state case registry under Chapter 234 the information required under this section. (h) The court may include in a final order in a suit in which a party to the suit makes an allegation of child abuse or neglect a finding on whether the party who made the allegation knew that the allegation was false. This finding shall not constitute collateral estoppel for any criminal proceeding. The court may impose on a party found to have made a false allegation of child abuse or neglect any civil sanction permitted under law, including attorney's fees, costs of experts, and any other costs. (i) The clerk may send orders, notices, and other documents relating to a final order to which this section applies to the e-mail address provided by a party under this section using the electronic filing system established under Section 72.031, Government Code.” Source: Tex. Family Code § 105.006; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_105/section_105_006/tex_fa_105_006_c3fe138e1516/tex_family_code_sec_105_006_contents_of_final_order_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Support-record branch
The registry provision anchors order and payment-record fields. Verbatim source text: “Tex. Family Code Sec. 105.008. RECORD OF SUPPORT ORDER FOR STATE CASE REGISTRY. (a) The clerk of the court shall provide the state case registry with a record of a court order for child support, medical support, and dental support. The record of a support order shall include information provided by the parties on a form developed by the Title IV-D agency. The form shall be completed by the petitioner and submitted to the clerk at the time the order is filed for record. (b) The form described by Subsection (a) may include an option for a party to apply for child support services provided by the Title IV-D agency. If a party applies for child support services, the party or the party's authorized representative must sign the form. (c) To the extent federal funds are available, the Title IV-D agency shall reimburse the clerk of the court for the costs incurred in providing the record of support order required under this section.” Source: Tex. Family Code § 105.008; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_105/section_105_008/tex_fa_105_008_f608ab3c572f/tex_family_code_sec_105_008_record_of_support_order_for_stat_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Protective-order branch
The findings statute anchors the separate protective-order decision state. Verbatim source text: “Tex. Family Code Sec. 85.001. REQUIRED FINDINGS AND ORDERS. (a) At the close of a hearing on an application for a protective order, the court shall find whether family violence has occurred. (b) If the court finds that family violence has occurred, the court: (1) shall render a protective order as provided by Section 85.022 applying only to a person found to have committed family violence; and (2) may render a protective order as provided by Section 85.021 applying to both parties that is in the best interest of the person protected by the order or member of the family or household of the person protected by the order. (c) A protective order that requires the first applicant to do or refrain from doing an act under Section 85.022 shall include a finding that the first applicant has committed family violence. (d) If the court renders a protective order for a period of more than two years under Section 85.025(a-1), the court must include in the order a finding described by that subsection.” Source: Tex. Family Code § 85.001; https://www.neochart.com/catalog/texas/family/chapter_85/section_85_001/tex_fa_85_001_e9be397a7b7d/tex_family_code_sec_85_001_required_findings_and_orders_0001/index.html; data via neochart.com, snapshot 2026-08.
Pin the synthetic family record
The capstone populates parties, child, status evidence, pleadings, service, temporary orders, discovery, property inventory and tracing, parenting proposals, factor rows, guardian records, support inputs and arithmetic, maintenance path, protective petition and service, placement label, name request, hearings, findings, signed orders, registry and payment events, sealed fields, appeals, enforcement, modifications, and reviewer handoffs.
Work the family-law application
The docket first resolves only which source and procedural branch each event enters. Informal-marriage evidence is traced element by element. Property rows preserve characterization and just-and-right discretion. Custody evidence remains unweighted and unresolved. The stipulated support row computes one thousand five hundred dollars but the signed order controls the ledger. Protective and placement records trigger strict handoffs. Every final state requires an authorized court or agency record.
Read the populated family record
The capstone contains docket, court, jurisdiction, party, child, marriage element, petition, service, hearing, property, characterization, value, division factor, parenting proposal, custody factor, source, dispute, child order, support input, calculation, deviation, maintenance path, protective application, service return, finding, placement label, name petition, signed order, registry, payment, appeal, enforcement, modification, sealed field, gap, handoff, and audit history. The artifact contains 19 populated rows.
Jurisdiction: US; as of 2026-08-28; not legal advice; Render structure, refuse interpretation, cite, abstain, and hand off.
RENDER STRUCTURE · REFUSE INTERPRETATION · CITE · ABSTAIN · HAND-OFF: render structure, refuse interpretation, cite provenance, abstain when unsupported, and hand off to human review.
Read the complete record
The complete record keeps sources, stated facts, and questions for review separate. Pinned authorities: Verbatim Texas Family Code snapshot text. Tex. Family Code § 2.401: Marriage-status branch: The informal-marriage provision anchors the agreement, cohabitation, and holding-out evidence branch.. Tex. Family Code § 7.001: Property branch: The just-and-right statute anchors discretionary division without a mandatory equal result.. Tex. Family Code § 8.051: Maintenance branch: The eligibility statute anchors threshold and alternative maintenance pathways.. Tex. Family Code § 105.006: Child-order branch: The final-order provision anchors populated child-order and support fields.. Tex. Family Code § 105.008: Support-record branch: The registry provision anchors order and payment-record fields.. Tex. Family Code § 85.001: Protective-order branch: The findings statute anchors the separate protective-order decision state.. Synthetic family record: Classroom facts, not legal conclusions. Status and dissolution: Parties dispute informal marriage date, plead divorce, exchange property inventories, request temporary orders and litigate final decree. Child issues: One child, competing parenting proposals, best-interest evidence, guardian record, stipulated six-thousand-dollar net-resource base, support order and payment ledger. Sensitive branches: Protective-order application and service record, placement-sensitive document, maintenance claim, name-change request, sealed data, post-judgment modification and appeal. Family-law trace: Elements, factors, calculation, process, limits, review. Docket states: Intake, jurisdiction, petition, service, response, temporary hearing, discovery, mediation, trial, findings, signed order, notice, post-judgment motion, appeal, enforcement, modification and closure. Issue classification: Marriage status, divorce ground, property characterization and division, child jurisdiction, conservatorship and possession, support, maintenance, protection, adoption or placement, identity and records. Custody-factor trace: Source, child-centered fact, date, relevance, dispute, contrary evidence, procedure and court weight; no numeric score, recommendation or predicted outcome. Support trace: Stated net-resource inputs, cap branch, percentage branch, exact arithmetic, deviation and findings, signed amount, charges, receipts, credits and arrears status. Source gaps: Sections One-Fifty-Three Point Zero-Zero-Two, One-Fifty-Four Point Zero-Six-Two and One-Fifty-Four Point One-Two-Five remain explanatory pending local ingest. Strict firewall: No marriage, property, custody, support, maintenance, placement, protection, safety, identity, enforcement, appeal or modification outcome; preserve crisis and safety handoffs.
Narrow summary
Trace the full family docket with issue-specific sources, unweighted custody factors, exact but nonbinding support arithmetic, signed-order states, and hardened sensitive-domain handoffs.