The Melinda Eitzen Show

In this episode of The Melinda Eitzen Show, Melinda Eitzen sits down with attorney and receiver Travis Cross to discuss the important role receivers play in family law cases involving real estate. When divorcing spouses cannot agree on selling a property, signing documents, or completing a court-ordered sale, a receiver can be appointed by the court to step into the owners’ shoes and move the proc...

Episode Summary In this episode of The Melinda EitzenShow , Melinda Eitzen is joined by Duffee + Eitzen associate attorneys Josh Dossey and Caden Jackson to discuss the growing role of digital evidence in family law cases. From text messages and social media posts to videos, financial records, and artificial intelligence, they explore how technology is changing the way evidence is gathered, presen...

Melinda Eitzen welcomes longtime colleague and mental health professional Brad Craig to The Melinda Show for a thoughtful discussion about co-parenting, parenting facilitation, and helping families navigate high-conflict family law situations. Drawing from decades of experience in the mental health and family law communities, Brad shares the mission behind his Between Two Homes co-parenting course...

Episode Summary Melinda Eitzen sits down with Duffee + Eitzen partner, Vanessa Sheppard, to break down the mediation process in family law cases and why it plays such a critical role in resolving disputes efficiently. They explain how mediation works, how it differs from arbitration, and why the vast majority of cases settle through this process rather than going to trial. In this episode, Melinda...

Episode Summary Melinda Eitzen sits down with mental health professional Jennifer Leister to discuss the critical role of a child specialist in collaborative divorce and how counseling-focused approaches can help families make more informed, child-centered decisions. In this episode, they explore how child specialists gather insight directly from children, not to make decisions, but to help parent...

Melinda Eitzen sits down with Dr. Paul Stanford and Dr. Jennifer Fast of Stanford Couples Counseling to discuss how therapy can help couples navigate relationship challenges and major life transitions. Drawing on their experience working with individuals and couples, they explore how counseling can help people determine whether a marriage can be repaired or whether it’s time to move forward separa...

Episode Summary Melinda Eitzen sits down with respected family law attorney Liz Porter to explore what “conscious uncoupling” really means in modern divorce. While the term suggests an amicable, efficient split, Liz explains that intention and action don’t always align. They discuss how divorces can unintentionally escalate and how tone, transparency, and early strategy can significantly impact bo...

Episode Summary Melinda Eitzen talks with Alesia Coffman of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management about her mission to financially educate and empower women navigating divorce. Drawing on more than 30 years in finance and her own personal experience with divorce, Alesia explains why financial understanding is critical to confidence, long-term stability, and avoiding costly regret during and after the di...

Episode Summary Melinda Eitzen sits down with Jim Mueller of the Mueller Family Law Group to discuss the realities of marketing for lawyers and business owners. Drawing from decades of experience as family law firm owners, they explore why effective marketing starts long before paid advertising, beginning with professionalism, competence, and how clients experience working with you. Melinda and Ji...

Episode Summary Melinda Eitzen sits down with Richard Sutherland, Duffee + Eitzen of counsel and a veteran Texas family law attorney, to demystify one of the most complex areas of divorce: dividing retirement assets. They discuss the different types of retirement plans commonly encountered in divorce, including ERISA plans, military retirement, teacher retirement, and state plans. Highlights why r...

Melinda Eitzen talks with Brittney Bramlett, a partner at Duffee + Eitzen, about what it truly means to prepare for trial in family law cases. They explain why trial preparation begins at the very first consultation, even when settlement is the ultimate goal.  And how early strategy impacts every stage of a case. They discuss how trial timing varies by county, the importance of running both the se...

Episode Summary Melinda Eitzen talks with Hunter Lewis, a partner at Duffee + Eitzen, about the realities of litigation in family law cases. They explore what effective litigation really looks like—from client preparation and pleadings to evidence, trial strategy, and appellate considerations. Hunter explains why honesty and full transparency from clients are essential to building an effective lit...

Melinda sits down with family law attorney Philip Moore to explain summary judgments and their role in family law cases. Summary judgments allow a judge to rule without a full trial when the facts aren’t in dispute, helping resolve cases quickly and efficiently. Philip discusses how summary judgments are used in both divorce cases and post-divorce modification actions. They explore what constitute...

In this episode, Melinda sits down with fellow Duffee+Eitzen partner, Jodi Bender, to discuss her Texas Supreme Court family law case, what that process was like, and how it now impacts family law across Texas. Key Takeaways from the Episode Texas Court Structure:  · Three levels: trial court, appellate court, and Texas Supreme Court. · Less than 10% of cases requested for review by the Supreme Co...

Litigation Update: 2025 Family Law Reforms in Texas Melinda sits down with Duffee + Eitzen associate attorney, Devin Kerns, who breaks down the most important 2025 updates to Texas family law. The changes impact child support, protective orders, non-parent rights, and enforcement provisions—each reshaping how courts prioritize safety, parental authority, and long-term family outcomes. About the Gu...

In this episode, Melinda Eitzen sits down with probate and estate planning attorney David Pyke to explore the crucial intersection between family law and estate planning. From prenuptial agreements to wills, powers of attorney, and post-divorce updates, they discuss how proactive planning can protect your assets, your family, and your future. About Guest: David Pyke is a probate and estate attorne...

What does it really mean to pursue a true collaborative divorce? In this episode, Melinda sits down with fellow collaborative law attorney, Lisa Marquis, to break down the difference between simply having an “agreeable divorce” and engaging in Big C Collaborative Law —a structured process that puts families, not the courthouse, at the center of resolution. We cover: Why collaborative law is differ...

Melinda sits down with child therapist Dr. Dean Beckloff. They discuss the benefits of play, art, and activity-based therapies at different developmental stages, when it should be considered and why early intervention can make a lasting impact. The conversation covers everything from emotional regulation in parents, to recognizing signs a child may need support, to navigating the “loyalty bind”. D...

Melinda talks to Laura Roach, a fellow family law attorney, about substance use and abuse and how it affects family law cases. It’s not uncommon for family law cases to involve some kind of substance abuse whether its alcohol or drugs to even gambling and shopping, addiction will affect law cases. Laura Roach is a DFW family law attorney who opens up about her own struggle with alcoholism and the...

In this episode, Melinda sits down with Dallas family law attorney Lee Budner to break down the discovery and deposition process in family law. They explore how discovery is used to gather evidence, build arguments, and prepare for trial and when depositions are helpful versus harmful. Lee shares his experience with using depositions not just to collect information but to expose inconsistencies, u...

New Episode Summary Melinda talks to Jeanne Huey, ethics attorney, about ethics in divorce law. Ethics in law are complicated, and ethics in divorce law are even more complicated. Divorce attorneys have many ethical duties to their clients, to the court, to third parties, and even to the other side of the case! It can be hard to know what the ethical thing to do is in every situation. Jeanne Huey...

YouTube/Transistor Content New Episode Summary Melinda talks to Keri Riggs, licensed professional counselor, about how to navigate major life transitions. From time to time, we all go through major life transitions. Whether it’s marriage, divorce, a move, getting a job, losing a job, a medical emergency, or the loss of a loved one, change can be a very difficult thing to deal with. Keri Riggs is a...

Melinda talks to Adam Carricker, real estate broker, and Joe Soto, mortgage lender, about real estate and divorce. When getting a divorce, real estate can be one of the largest and thorniest problems to solve. Unlike most assets, it’s not easy to evenly divide real estate in the same way you would other assets. That’s why Adam and Joe are here to walk us through the process of handling the problem...

Melinda talks to Lené Alley DeRudder, divorce attorney, about professionalism in the workplace. Watch now or listen on your favorite podcast platform.

Melinda talks to Marilea Lewis, divorce attorney and former judge, about what makes a good Family Law witness. Watch now or listen on your favorite podcast platform.