Houston Family Law Attorney
Carl Ritter is a senior attorney at Bryan Fagan, PLLC, representing clients in family law and estate planning matters. HIs focus areas are contested divorces, child custody disputes, guardianships, and contested wills.
Carl doesn’t shy away from the cases involving parties with difficult pasts, or cases involving Child Protective Services (CPS). He is a fierce advocate for clients that are attempting to keep or regain custody of their children, and he also provides assistance to grandparents who are fighting for their grandchildren. He understands that the best interest of the child is always the most important factor in any case.
Carl’s representation extends to clients that are interested in estate planning as well as clients that need help with issues of guardianship. Carl has substantial experience in contested probate cases that must proceed through litigation. Litigation and the courtroom have always been Carl’s favorite part of being an attorney.
With over 35 years as a practicing attorney, Carl has an extensive background, including serving as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer in the United States Air Force. His understanding of the nuances of military law, as well as the intricacies involved in military life, combine to make Carl an astute choice for military personnel and their families. He has also spent 10 years as an attorney with the Office of the Attorney General in Texas.
Carl and his wife of 25 years recently relocated to Houston to be near their two children who attend school at Texas A&M and Houston Baptist University. Carl enjoys time spent with his family at the beach and in the mountains, where you can find him golfing, swimming, relaxing in lazy rivers, eating fantastic foods, and enjoying the great outdoors.
Bar Admissions
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Texas Bar, 1986
Education
- St. Mary’s University School of Law, J.D., 1986
- University of Notre Dame, B.A., 1983
Licenses
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Texas Real Estate Brokers License
Representative Experience
- Successfully able to maintain paternal grandparents’ access to their grandchild, despite the biological father terminating his parental rights.
- Successfully handled a contested probate case involving property that was gifted to a helpful neighbor. The deceased’s family members contested the will, claiming the neighbor should not have received the property. The case was found in favor of the neighbor and the original wishes as outlined in the testator’s will.
- Case involving an elderly couple whose wife died. Family made a new will on the same day of the wife’s funeral, which gave all the property rights to the children. Other family members actually saw them pull into the law office after the funeral. This was a case of family vs. family fighting over a 20+ million dollar estate. Courts maintained the original will of the parties.
Featured Quote
“This area of law can be convoluted and complex, but you figure a way to make it work despite the odds against you.”