MESSAGE FROM
THE CHAIR
The Spring 2026 Section Report is now available! The password is flsmember2025 (case sensitive). Get to know a little more about Chair-Elect Jim Mueller in the Spotlight, review the nominations slate for Council and gain some knowledge from the excellent columns, articles, and cases in this Section Report.
Lisa K. Hoppes
Read the Full MessageCOUNCIL SPOTLIGHT
Council Spotlight: Answering the Call — A Journey to Chair of the Family Law Section
As I prepare to assume the duties and responsibilities of Chair of the Family Law Section, I am struck by how much of my professional and personal life has been devoted to the Section. Read the Article
IN MEMORIAM
In Memoriam: Daniel Paul Webb (January 10, 1980 – January 28, 2026)
The Texas family law community recently lost one of its own far too soon. Daniel Paul Webb of Fort Worth passed away on January 28, 2026, leaving behind a lasting imprint on the family law bar of this state. Read the Article
JUDICIAL SPOTLIGHT
Judicial Spotlight: Coffee Before Conflict — The Judicial Legacy of Judge Solomon “Sol” Casseb III
There is a particular kind of tension that fills a courtroom before every family law case. In Judge Solomon “Sol” Casseb III’s courtroom, that tension rarely had a chance to settle in. Read the Article
TRAILBLAZERS
Trailblazer Spotlight: Carole Cross — A Trailblazer for Service Members and Military Families
For more than three decades, Carole Cross has dedicated her legal career to passionate representation of service members and military families. Read the Article
2026–2027 Nominations Slate
State Bar of Texas Family Law Section
Pursuant to Article VI, Section 1 of the Bylaws of the State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section, the Nominating Committee of the Section hereby forwards the following names for the following positions of the Family Law Council:
Officers
Chair: Jim Mueller (no vote required)
Chair-Elect: Lon Loveless
Vice-Chair: Susan McLerran
Treasurer: Leigh de la Reza
Secretary: Kevin Segler
Immediate Past Chair: Lisa Hoppes (no vote required)
Nominations to the Class
Class of 2031
Ryan Bauerle (Plano)
Laura Copp (Fort Worth)
Robert Epstein (Dallas)
Judge Gloria Lopez (Houston)
Lauren Waddell (Houston)
Class of 2027
Sallee Smyth (Richmond) (unexpired term of Kevin Segler)
The election will take place on April 30, 2026, at the section meeting during the Marriage Dissolution seminar.
NOTICES
New Summary Judgment Rule — Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 166a
Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 166a (Motions for Summary Judgment) has been significantly revised. The Texas Supreme Court's final order (Misc. Docket No. 26-9012) incorporates the amendments in both clean and redline form, effective March 1, 2026, and applies only to motions for summary judgment filed on or after that date. The full order and redline are available from the Texas Supreme Court. Read the Full Order
IN THE LAW REVIEWS AND LEGAL PUBLICATIONS
Texas
Power And Equity In Pro Se Procedure, Andrew C. Budzinski, 77 Baylor L. Rev. 279 (2025).
The Future Of Frozen Embryos, Clare Ryan, Benjamin J. McMichael, 78 SMU L. Rev. 789 (2025).
Drive-By Mediation Part II: Final Orders to Go, John R. Millard, Tom King, 89 Tex. B.J. 40 (2026).
And The Pendulum Swings: Applying A Moderate Approach To The Definition Of Child Neglect In Texas, Mattie Greenamyre, 58 Tex. Tech L. Rev. 245 (2026).
Non-Texas
Introduction: Current Issues In Family Law Policy And Practice, Lisa F. Grumet, 59 Fam. L.Q. 1 (2025–2026).
Obergefell At 10: Victories, Setbacks, and Protecting Rights for LGBTQ+ Families, Amira Hasenbush, Morgan Schumann, Alana Chazana, 59 Fam. L.Q. 5 (2025–2026).
The Role Of Children In Child Custody Mediation, Stephanie L. Tang, 59 Fam. L.Q. 31 (2025–2026).
Legal Moralism In Disguise In Child Custody Cases, Michal Buchhandler-Raphael, 59 Fam. L.Q. 53 (2025–2026).
Set Up To Fail: Systemic Barriers That Prevent Respondents From Complying With Civil Protection Orders, Keeshea Turner Roberts, 59 Fam. L.Q. 89 (2025–2026).
Redefining Domestic Abuse: Coercive Control, Melissa Stuart, 59 Fam. L.Q. 113 (2025–2026).
Global Trends In The Operation Of The 1980 Hague Abduction Convention: The 2021 Statistics, Nigel V. Lowe, Victoria Stephens, 59 Fam. L.Q. 129 (2025–2026).
IN BRIEF
In Brief: Family Law From Around the Nation
A roundup of notable family law decisions from around the nation this quarter, covering marital agreements, the Hague Convention, child custody, child support, property division, and enforcement. Read the Article
SECTION INFORMATION
Officers
Chair
Lisa Hoppes, Hurst
Chair-Elect
Jim Mueller, Dallas
Vice Chair
Lon Loveless, Dallas
Treasurer
Susan McLeran, Houston
Secretary
Leigh de la Reza, Austin
Immediate Past Chair
Anna McKim, Lubbock
Council
Terms Expire 2026
Natalie Webb – Dallas
Mary Evelyn McNamara – Austin
Ryan Bauerle – Plano
Lisa Richardson – Round Rock
Sallee Smyth – Richmond
Terms Expire 2027
Sarah Darnell – Denton
Kevin Segler – Plano
Hon. Roy B. Ferguson – Alpine
Kelly Fritsch – Houston
Susan McLerran – Houston
Terms Expire 2028
Adam Dietrich – Conroe
Chistina Hollwarth – Longview
Rocky Pilgrim – Tomball
Aaron Reimer – Houston
Kimberly Park Wilson – Stephenville
Terms Expire 2029
Susan Duesler – Dallas
Janine McGill – Bedford
Lauren Melhart – Dallas
Tasha Wilson – Houston
Patrick A. Wright – Flower Mound
Terms Expire 2030
Laura Fidelie – Wichita Falls
Kimberly Naylor – Fort Worth
Angela Stout – Houston
Robert Tsai – Houston
Matthew J. Hill – New Braunfels
© 2026 by the State Bar of Texas. The copyright of a signed article is retained by the author unless otherwise noted. For reprinting authorization, contact the Chairman of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. All rights reserved.