J Brantley Law | Family Law Intake

Before you begin: This form gathers the information J Brantley Law needs to evaluate your family law matter and prepare the pleadings your case requires in Texas or Georgia. Answer as completely and accurately as you can. If a question does not apply to your situation, you may leave it blank. Submitting this form does not create an attorney-client relationship; it begins the intake and consultation process. Please allow the page to fully load, and complete each section in order, since your answers determine which questions appear next.

0What do you need help with?

Family Law

Services in this category include: uncontested divorce (with or without minor children, including military-connected divorces), adult name change, minor name change, and birth certificate corrections.

Estate Planning

Services in this category include: last will and testament, revocable living trust with pour-over will, financial power of attorney, healthcare directive, and related documents. A revocable living trust may be worth considering if you want to avoid probate, keep your affairs private, own property in more than one state, or want a plan that also covers management of your assets during incapacity.

Please note: complete an intake only for the service(s) covered by your executed engagement letter with J Brantley Law, PLLC. If you would like to add additional services, please speak with the attorney before completing an intake for those services.

1Jurisdiction

Which state's courts will hear your matter?

Texas

File in the Texas county where you or your spouse/the other party meets residency requirements.

Georgia

File in the Georgia Superior Court of the county with proper venue.

2Matter Type

What do you need help with?

Uncontested Divorce

You and your spouse agree, or your spouse is unlikely to contest the case.

Adult Name Change

A legal name change petition for yourself (age 18+), unrelated to a pending divorce decree.

Minor Name Change

A legal name change petition for a child under 18.

Birth Certificate Correction

Correcting or amending an existing birth certificate.

Do you and your spouse have minor children together (under 18, or still in high school)?

Yes

Does either spouse have current or prior U.S. military service relevant to this divorce (active duty, reserve, guard, or retired)?

Yes

Uncontested Divorce Intake

3About You (Petitioner)

Full legal name *

Date of birth

Any former or maiden name(s)

Last 4 digits of SSN

Phone

Email *

Current mailing address (street, city, state, zip)

County of residence

Time at this county

Time living in this state

Do you have safety concerns about your spouse knowing your address, or a history of family violence in the marriage?

Yes No

This response has been flagged for immediate attorney review before any documents are served or filed.

4About Your Spouse (Respondent)

Full legal name *

Date of birth

Current address (if known)

Employer / place of business

Spouse's phone/email (if known)

Does your spouse know the divorce is being filed?

Will your spouse sign the Final Decree / Waiver of Service (agreed)?

Does your spouse have their own attorney?

5Your Marriage

Date of marriage

City/county of marriage

State of marriage

Date of separation (if any)

Grounds for divorce

If fault-based, briefly describe the grounds

Do you want your former/maiden name restored in the decree?

Name to be restored

6Residency & Filing

Texas requires that you or your spouse have lived in Texas at least 6 months, and in the filing county at least 90 days.

I confirm at least one spouse has lived in Texas for 6+ months.

I confirm at least one spouse has lived in the filing county for 90+ days.

Georgia requires 6 months' bona fide residency (12 months for active-duty military residing at a Georgia military installation).

I confirm at least one spouse meets Georgia's residency requirement.

County where you intend to file

Have either of you lived outside this state in the last 6 months (you, your spouse, or your children)?

7Children of the Marriage & SAPCR

Is there already a final court order for custody and child support in place for these children (e.g., a prior Attorney General or SAPCR order)?

If there is no prior custody/support order, your divorce will need a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR) combined with it to establish conservatorship, possession, and support.

Has any child ever received TANF or Medicaid benefits?

Is your spouse the biological or legal parent of every child listed below (no paternity questions)?

Please explain

Children

Conservatorship / Custody Requested

Requested arrangement

Who should have the exclusive right to designate the child's primary residence?

Possession/visitation schedule preference

Describe custom schedule, holidays, or restrictions, if any

Child Support

Who will pay child support?

Guideline support, or a deviation?

Who will carry health insurance for the children?

How will work-related child care and uninsured medical costs be split?

Notes on support deviation or special circumstances

8Military-Connected Service

Whose military service is relevant?

Branch of service

Component

Rank/grade

Current duty station / base

Servicemember's state of legal residence (SLR/home of record)

Is the servicemember currently on active duty?

If the non-filing spouse is on active duty, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) may require additional protections before a default judgment can be entered. We confirm this before proceeding by default.

Retirement, Benefits & Length of Service Overlap

Years married

Years of creditable military service

Years of marriage overlapping service

These figures help determine 10/10 rule eligibility (direct DFAS payment of a division of retired pay) and 20/20/20 status (full commissary, exchange, and TRICARE benefits for a former spouse where the marriage lasted at least 20 years, the service member had at least 20 years of creditable service, and there were at least 20 years of overlap).

Is military retired pay being divided in this divorce?

Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) election needed?

Is a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account being divided?

Is either spouse receiving VA disability compensation?

Additional notes on military benefits, ID cards, or base access after divorce

9Property & Debts

Real Property

Vehicles

Financial & Retirement Accounts

Business Interests

Does either spouse own or hold an interest in a business? Describe.

Debts

Personal Property & Other

Agreement on furniture, personal belongings, and any other property not listed above

Spousal Maintenance / Alimony

Is spousal maintenance/alimony being requested?

If yes, proposed amount and duration

Taxes

Agreement on final joint tax filing and who claims the children as dependents going forward

10Anything Else

Any other facts, deadlines, or concerns the firm should know about?

Adult Name Change Intake

Current full legal name *

Requested new full legal name *

Your email address *

Your phone

Date of birth

Place of birth (city, state/country)

Current address

County of residence

How long at this address / in this county

Last 4 digits of SSN

Reason for the name change

Have you legally changed your name before?

Please describe your reason for the name change in your own words

Have you ever been convicted of a felony, or are you currently the subject of a criminal case, bankruptcy, or under a court order restricting a name change?

Please explain

Is this name change connected to a divorce currently pending with this firm?

Minor Name Change Intake

Child's current full legal name *

Requested new full legal name *

Child's date of birth

Child's place of birth (city, state/country)

Child's current address

County of residence

Your relationship to the child

Your full legal name (Petitioner)

Your email address *

Your phone

Other parent's full legal name

Other parent's contact info (if known)

What is the current legal custody / conservatorship status?

Does the other parent consent to this name change?

Reason for the requested name change

Birth Certificate Correction Intake

Full name as it appears on the current birth certificate *

Date of birth

State where the birth occurred (may differ from the state you file in)

County/city where the birth occurred

Requesting party's relationship to the person on the record

Requesting party's phone

Your email address *

What type of correction is needed? (select all that apply, then describe below)

Name spelling or legal name

Date of birth

Place of birth

Parentage / paternity information

Sex marker

Other

Current (incorrect) information

Correct information requested

How did the error occur, to your knowledge?

What supporting documentation do you currently have? (e.g., hospital records, Social Security card, prior court orders, ID)

Is this correction connected to another pending case (paternity, adoption, name change)?

1Jurisdiction

Which state's law should govern your estate plan?

Texas

Independent administration, community property considerations.

Georgia

Georgia probate and estate administration.

2Your Situation

Marital status

Single

Married or partnered

Do you have any children (of any age)?

Yes

Do you want your estate to include a revocable living trust (pour-over will)?

A revocable living trust may be a good fit if you want to avoid probate, keep your estate private, own real estate in more than one state, have a blended family, or want your assets managed for you during any period of incapacity. If you are unsure, select No and discuss it with the attorney.

Yes

No, a standard will is fine

Does current or prior U.S. military service apply to you or your spouse?

Yes

Estate Planning Intake

3About You

Full legal name *

Date of birth

Email *

Phone

Current mailing address

County of residence

City of residence

Last 4 digits of SSN

4About Your Spouse / Partner

Full legal name *

Date of birth

Spouse's phone

Spouse's email

Simultaneous death: if it's ever impossible to tell who died first, whose estate should control (a standard drafting choice, not a real-world prediction)?

5Military Service & Honors

Whose service applies?

Branch

Would you like military honors at burial (flag, taps, honor guard, rifle salute)?

Would you like a VA-issued grave marker?

6Children

Guardian of Minor Children

Only needed if any child is under 18. Leave blank if all children are adults.

First choice for guardian

Guardian's phone

Guardian's address

Successor guardian

Successor's phone

Successor's address

7Revocable Living Trust

Trust-based estate plans involve additional drafting beyond this intake. The details below help the firm prepare your trust agreement and pour-over will; this submission will not auto-generate a trust document.

Proposed trust name

Proposed initial trustee

Successor trustee(s), in order

8Executor

First choice for Executor *

Phone

Address

Successor Executor

Phone

Address

Second successor Executor

Phone

Address

Executor's pronoun (used in the draft document)

9Property & Assets

Real Property

Financial & Retirement Accounts

Beneficiary designations on these accounts pass outside your will, so it is important the firm knows what is on file.

Life Insurance

Annuities

Do you own any annuities?

If yes, provider and contract details

Business Interests

Does the client own or hold an interest in a business? Describe, including succession wishes.

10Specific Gifts & Personal Property

Personal Property Memorandum

Would you like your will to reference a separate signed list of personal items and their recipients (a Tangible Personal Property Memorandum) that you can create or update at a later date without amending the will?

Charitable Giving

Any charitable bequests? List organization and amount or percentage.

11Pets

12Powers of Attorney

Who should be able to act on your behalf for financial and legal matters if you're unable to?

First choice Agent

Phone

Address

Successor Agent

Phone

Address

Second successor Agent

Phone

Address

Grant all of the powers listed below, or select only specific powers?

Statutory powers your Agent may exercise (review each so you know what you are granting)

Real property transactions

Tangible personal property transactions

Stock and bond transactions

Commodity and option transactions

Banking and other financial institution transactions

Business operating transactions

Insurance and annuity transactions

Estate, trust, and other beneficiary transactions

Claims and litigation

Personal and family maintenance

Benefits from Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, or other governmental programs, or civil or military service

Retirement plan transactions

Tax matters

Digital assets and the content of electronic communications

Special instructions or limitations, if any (optional)

13Digital Assets & Online Accounts

Authorize your Executor and Agent to access your digital assets, online accounts, and the content of your electronic communications after death or during incapacity? Platforms such as Meta (Facebook and Instagram), Google, and Apple generally require this authorization in your estate documents before they will grant a fiduciary access.

Tip: in addition to this authorization, Meta lets you name a Legacy Contact directly in your Facebook settings, and Google offers an Inactive Account Manager. Setting those up alongside your estate plan gives your Executor the smoothest path to your accounts.

Online Account Inventory

List the platform and the username or email on each account. Do not enter passwords here. Passwords belong on the private worksheet below, which downloads to your device only and is never sent to the firm.

Private Password & Account Worksheet

Download a private worksheet to record passwords, PINs, banking logins, and account details. This document is generated on your own device, is not transmitted to J Brantley Law, and should be stored securely and shared only with someone you trust.

14Healthcare Directive

First choice healthcare Agent

Phone

Address

Successor Agent

Phone

Address

Second successor Agent

Phone

Address

In a terminal condition, life-sustaining treatment should be

In a persistent vegetative state, life-sustaining treatment should be

Artificial nutrition/hydration (feeding tube)

Pain management preference

Organ donation

15Funeral & Burial

Disposition preference

Service type

Funeral home name

Funeral home address

Pre-need contract number, if any

Plot location, if already owned

Any other specific instructions

16Anything Else

Any other facts, concerns, or family dynamics the firm should know about?

Review your answers above, then choose how you'd like to send this intake to the firm.