Richard R. Orsinger’s Publications

With more than 46 years of experience as a family lawyer, Richard Orsinger has “written the book” on Texas family law. Richard has published over 250 continuing legal education articles on issues of family law, evidence law, trial and appellate procedure, court jurisdiction, trust law, contract law, business valuation, tax aspects of divorce, parent-child issues, recent developments, and legal history.

Two of his CLE articles have been awarded the best article of the year and one of Richard’s law review articles were cited by the Texas Supreme Court in published Opinions. His treatise on Texas appellate procedure has been cited in three Texas Courts of Appeals Opinions, and other articles have been cited by various Texas Courts of Appeals. Richard’s work serves as a guide for other lawyers and judges and contributes to his qualifications as a litigator and appellate lawyer.

Richard has been the course director of many continuing legal education courses. You can see a list here.

Richard has more recently conducted a number of recorded interviews with judges, prominent lawyers, and court personnel. You can see the interviews here.

Award-Winning Articles

 

Law Journal and Law Review Articles

 

Magazine Articles

 

Books and Treatises

  • Texas Supreme Court Practice Manual (Editor in Chief), State Bar of Texas, 2005

  • Expert Witness Manual, (Editor in Chief) State Bar of Texas Family Law Section, Vols. II & III , 1999

  • 6 McDonald, Texas Civil Practice: Texas Civil Appellate Practice, Bancroft-Whitney Law Publishers, 1992

 

Continuing Legal Education

  • Making and Meeting Objections, Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (Nov. 1998)

  • The Communications Revolution: Portability, The Internet and the Practice of Law, State Bar of Texas 21st Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course (Sept. 1998)

  • Enforcing the Judgment, Including While on Appeal, Advanced Civil Appellate Course (Sept. 1998)

  • New Developments in Civil Procedure and Evidence, State Bar of Texas 24th Annual Advanced Family Law Course (Aug. 1998)

  • Family Law Attorney’s Fees: Proving Trial & Appellate Fees, Discovery Issues, Confidentiality Issues, Value Billing vs. Time Billing, State Bar of Texas Telephone Seminar (June, 1998)

  • Predicates and Objections, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting - Litigation All Stars (June 1998)

  • Brief Writing: Tools in the Tool Box, Appellate Section Annual Meeting (June 1998)

  • Handling the Divorce Involving Trusts or Family Limited Partnerships, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Institute (May 1998)

  • Preservation of Error: Pre-Trial and Trial, State Bar of Texas Appellate Practice Institute (Jan. 1998)

  • Preservation of Error: Pre-Trial and Trial, Corpus Christi Bar Association's 1998 Civil Appellate Seminar (Jan, 1998)

  • New Appellate Rules Update, State Bar of Texas Fourteenth Annual Litigation Update Institute (Jan. 1998)

  • Valuation of Trusts, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers CLE Program in Puerto Rico (1998)

  • Evidence Grab Bag, State Bar of Texas Tenth Annual Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1998)

  • TRAPs Under the New T.R.A.P., University of Texas School of Law Eighth Annual Conference on State and Federal Appeals (1998)

  • Are Non-Jury Trials Ever "Appealing"?, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course (Sept. 1998)

  • Managing Your Law Office and Your Professional Relationships Through the Year 2000, State Bar of Texas 1998 The Year 2000 Problem - Computing the Legal Risks for Attorneys and Their Clients (1998)

  • Predicates and Objections, State Bar of Texas Annual Litigation Update Institute (1997)

  • Why and How Lawyers Should Use the Internet, American Bar Association General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Section, Mid-Year Meeting (1997)

  • Cyberhazards: Legal and Ethical Pitfalls in Using the Internet, State Bar of Texas Lawyers and the Internet (1997)

  • Preservation of Error, Joint Seminar: Practice Before the Fourth and Thirteenth Courts of Appeal CLE Program (1997)

  • "Don't Drink That! That's My Computer!", State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Perfecting Your Practice Seminar (1997)

  • The Lawyer As Master of Technology: Communication With Automation, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Perfecting Your Practice Seminar (1997)

  • The New Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, State Bar of Texas Practicing Under the New Texas Appellate Rules (1997)

  • Internet for Lawyers, San Antonio Bar Association, Internet for Lawyers (1997)

  • Qualifying and Rejecting Expert Witnesses, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1997)

  • The New Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, State Bar of Texas CLE Telephone Seminar: The Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure (1997)

  • New Appellate Rules, State Bar of Texas Twentieth Annual Advanced Civil Trial Course (1997)

  • No-Evidence Summary Judgments Under the New Rule, Houston Bar Association 1997 Fall Seminar on "Texas Summary Judgments" (1997)

  • Class Action Lawsuit to Recover Interest on Delinquent Child Support, Texas Association of Domestic Relations Offices 13th Annual Meeting and Seminar (1997)

  • Panel Discussion: Oral and Written Advocacy in the Courts of Appeals, South Texas College of Law The Civil Appellate Law Course for Trial Lawyers: Your Practical, Tactical Guide Through the Process (1997)

  • Intellectual Property, University of Texas School of Law First Annual Texas Marital Property Institute (Oct. 1997)

  • Enforcing the Judgment, Including While on Appeal, South Texas College of Law The Civil Appellate Law Course for Trial Lawyers (1997)

  • Evidence Grab Bag, State Bar of Texas Tenth Annual Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1997)

  • Preparation, Pleading, Discovery, Witnesses, Exhibits, Experts, and Jury v. Non-Jury Questions in a Hidden Assets, Fraud and Breach of Fiduciary Duty Case, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Tenth Annual Trial Institute (1996)

  • Required Proof, Jury Charge, Final Argument, Avoiding Double Recovery, Judgment Drafting and Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law in a Hidden Assets, Fraud and Breach of Fiduciary Duty Case, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Tenth Annual Trial Institute (1996)

  • Gender Issues in the Everyday Practice of Law--Is the Gap Narrowing?, State Bar of Texas Advanced Women and the Law Course (1996)

  • Sorting Out the Law, Lingo and Loopholes of Marital Property, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting CLE Superstore (1996)

  • Non-Jury Appeals Revisited, SMU School of Law Advanced Civil Trial and Appellate Advocacy Seminar (1996)

  • Ordinary Reimbursement and Creative Theories of Reimbursement--Who Has the Burden of Proof of Offsets, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (Aug. 1996)

  • Technology and the Courtroom of the Future, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course (1996)

  • The Effective Motion for Rehearing, University of Texas School of Law Sixth Annual Conference on State and Federal Appeals (1996)

  • Estate Planning Devices in Divorce--Attacking, Defending and Using Trusts, Estates, Family Partnerships and Other Estate Planning Devices, State Bar of Texas New Frontiers in Texas Marital Property Law (Oct. 1996)

  • Managing Documents--The Technology, State Bar of Texas Ninth Annual Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1996)

  • Predicates and Objections Update, State Bar of Texas Litigation Update Institute (1996)

  • Nuances of Appellate Review of the Sufficiency of the Evidence, Houston Bar Association Appellate Practice Section's The Appellate Lawyer (Spring 1996)

  • Predicates and Objections Update, State Bar of Texas Annual Litigation Update Institute (1995)

  • Non-Jury Appeals, State Bar of Texas Appellate Practice for Lawyers and Legal Assistants (1995)

  • Gender Issues in the Everyday Practice of Family Law, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1995)

  • Moderator, Telecommunications, Bulletin Boards, Remote Office Access, and the Internet, 6th Annual Practical Computer and Practice Seminar (May, 1995)

  • Dialogue on Common Evidence Problems, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1995)

  • Characterization: 20 Rules - 20 Examples and More, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1995)

  • Direct and Cross-Examination Workshop, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1995)

  • The New (Proposed) Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, University of Texas School of Law Fifth Annual Conference on Techniques for Handling Civil Appeals in State and Federal Court (1995)

  • Non-Jury Appeals, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course (1995)

  • Offering and Excluding Evidence, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course (1995)

  • Cases on Enforceability of Pre-Marital Agreements, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Eighth Annual Trial Institute (1994)

  • An Evidence Dialogue on Predicates and Objections, State Bar of Texas Tenth Annual Litigation Update Institute (1994)

  • Issues to Remember in Trying and Appealing Cases, Attorney General's Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect Cases (1994)

  • Peculiarities of Appeals in Family Law Cases, State Bar of Texas Appellate Practice Institute (1994)

  • Identifying and Dealing With Illegal, Unethical and Harassing Practices, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1994)

  • Predicates for Documentary & Demonstrative Evidence, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Trial Notebook (1994)

  • Interlocutory and Accelerated Appeals, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Course (1994) (the top-rated speaker at course)

  • Vignettes, State Bar of Texas Dealing With Hardball Trial Tactics & Difficult Judges Course (1994)

  • Divorce/Spousal Liability, State Bar of Texas Advanced Consumer Bankruptcy Course (1994)

  • Common Evidence Problems, State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1994)

  • Predicates for Documentary & Demonstrative Evidence, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Trial Notebook: Family Law (1994)

  • Introducing Evidence and Making Objections, Texas Legal Services Center and the Coastal Bend Legal Services Family Law Overview Course (1994)

  • Hidden Financial Issues on Divorce, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Seventh Annual Trial Institute (1993)

  • Discovery, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1993)

  • Evidentiary Predicates and Objections, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Trial Notebook (1993)

  • Introduction to WordPerfect for DOS, State Bar of Texas Fourth Annual Practical Computer Seminar (1993)

  • Deposition Use in Trial: Cassette Tapes, Video, Audio, Reading and Editing, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1993)

  • Brief Writing: Creatively Crafting for the Reader, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course (1993)

  • Issues to Remember in Trying and Appealing Cases, Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect Cases (1993)

  • Business and Public Records, State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1993)

  • Grab Bag: Evidence & Discovery, State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1993)

  • Discovery, State Bar of Texas Focus on Criminal and Family Law Course (1993)

  • Common Problems/Common Provisions in Agreements Incident to Divorce, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Drafting Course (1993)

  • WordPerfect and Document Assembly, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Drafting Course (1993)

  • WordPerfect and Document Assembly, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Drafting Course (1992)

  • Appeal and Mandamus of Discovery Orders, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Pre-Trial Notebook (1992)

  • Use of Demonstrative Evidence, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Sixth Annual Trial Institute (1992)

  • Evidentiary Predicates and Objections, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Trial Notebook (1992)

  • Introduction to WordPerfect, State Bar of Texas Third Annual Practical Computer Seminar (1992)

  • Valuation Overview, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1992)

  • Predicates for Documentary and Demonstrative Evidence, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Trial Notebook - Family Law (1992)

  • In the Supreme Court: Reversing the Court of Appeals, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course (1992)

  • Having a Computer on the Lawyer's Desk Can Save Time and Money, State Bar of Texas The Law Office of the '90's--Tools to Build an Efficient and Productive Practice (1991)

  • Direct and Cross-Examination of a Real Estate Appraiser, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Fifth Annual Trial Institute (1991)\

  • Criminal Aspects of Family Law Cases, SMU School of Law Eleventh Biennial Specialists Symposium on Texas Family Law and Community Property (1991)

  • Marital Liabilities: Which Estate is Liable for What?, Corpus Christi Bar Association Family Law Seminar - An Update (March, 1991)

  • Discovery in Custody and Property Cases, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1991)

  • Discovery Problems in Family Law Cases, Dallas Bar Association Seminar on Family Law (1991)

  • WordPerfect and Standard Document Assembly, State Bar of Texas Second Annual Practical Computer Seminar (1991)

  • Objections, State Bar of Texas Ultimate Trial Notebook (1991)

  • Appealing Non-Jury Cases in State Court, University of Texas School of Law Techniques for Appeals in State and Federal Court (1991)

  • Rules of Procedure, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1991)

  • Judgment Enforcement, Turnover and Contempt, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course (1991)

  • Successful Challenges to Legal and Factual Sufficiency, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Appellate Practice Course (1991)

  • Appellate Practice (Family Law), State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Institute (1990)

  • The New Texas Pattern Jury Charges (Vol. 3) (Products, Premises, Professional Malpractice and Damages), South Texas College of Law Advanced Personal Injury Course (1990)

  • Attorney's Fees in Family Law Cases, State Bar Convention Family Law Section (1990)

  • UCCJA, PKPA, Child Abduction: What Does It All Mean?, South Texas College of Law Seventh Annual Family Law Institute (1990)

  • Marital Liabilities, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1990)

  • Judgment Enforcement, Turnover and Contempt, State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course (1990)

  • Appeal of Civil Non-Jury Trials, State Bar of Texas Advanced Appellate Course (1990)

  • Experts, Opinion Evidence, and Privileges, University of Houston Law Center Advanced Family Law Practice Institute (1990)

  • Judgment Enforcement Turnover, and Contempt, Judicial Section Annual Conference (1990)

  • Handling the Jury While Perfecting Appeal, State Bar of Texas Institute on Persuading the Jury from Voir Dire Through Closing Argument (1990)

  • Preservation of Privileges, Exemptions and Objections, State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1990)

  • Overview of Agreements and Contractual Provisions in Decrees, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Drafting Course (1990)

  • Some Interesting Issues in Family Law, Dallas Bar Association Family Law Section Luncheon (October, 1988) & Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists Dinner (February, 1989)

  • The Texas Rules of Civil Evidence Applied to Family Law Cases, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Third Annual Trial Institute (1989)

  • Election of Remedies, South Texas College of Law Domestic Torts Course (1989)

  • Handling the Appeal from a Bench Trial in a Civil Case, State Bar of Texas Advanced Appellate Practice Law Course (1989)

  • The Scope and Method of Mandamus Problems, South Texas College of Law Advanced Strategies in Obtaining and Using Evidence (1989)

  • Marital Agreements: Enforcement and Defense, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1989)

  • Mandamus, State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1989)

  • Valuation of Closely-Held Businesses and Professional Practices, University of Houston Law Center Advanced Family Law Short Course (1989)

  • Bankruptcy and Family Law: Particular Issues, Professional Education Systems, Inc. (1988)

  • Interstate Custody Jurisdiction and Practical Problems in Recovering Possession of Children, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists Second Annual Trial Institute (1988)

  • Conflict of Law: Full Faith and Credit, Comity and Judgments, SMU School of Law Tenth Biennial Specialists Symposium on Texas Family Law and Community Property (1988)

  • Post-Divorce Division of Property, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1988)

  • Valuation of Closely-Held Businesses and Professional Practices, University of Houston Law Center Advanced Family Law Short Course (1988)

  • Drafting of Decrees and Agreements Incident to Divorce, South Texas College of Law Fifth Annual South Texas Family Law Institute (1988)

  • Preserving Legal Sufficiency Point of Error in a Motion for New Trial, The Appellate Advocate (1988)

  • Successful Mandamus Approaches in Discovery, State Bar of Texas Advanced Evidence and Discovery Course (1988)

  • Legislative Update, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1988)

  • Characterization Overview, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1988)

  • Discovery Procedures: Use and Abuse, State Bar of Texas Course on Family Law for Legal Assistants and Attorneys (1987)

  • Professional Partnership Rights on Divorce, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists First Annual Trial Institute (1987)

  • Family Law and the Family Business: Proprietorships, Partnerships and Corporations, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1987)

  • Interstate Jurisdictional Problems in Family Law Matters, South Texas College of Law Advanced Family Law Short Course (1987)

  • Proving Up Separate and Community Property Claims Through Tracing, The University of Texas School of Law Fourth Annual Family Law Seminar (1987)

  • The Family Law Case in the Appellate Court: Important Points to Consider, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1987)

  • Dealing with the Family Home on Divorce, SMU School of Law Ninth Biennial Specialists Symposium on Texas Family Law and Community Property (Feb. 1986)

  • Child Snatching and Interfering with Possession: Remedies, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1986)

  • Interstate Jurisdictional Problems in Family Law Matters, South Texas College of Law Advanced Family Law Short Course (1986)

  • Characterization of Property and Reimbursement, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1986) [Cited in Penick]

  • Trusts and Family Law, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1986)

  • Interstate Collection of Child Support, State Bar of Texas Course on Revolution in Child Support: Perspective, Pleading, Practice (1986)

  • Partnerships and Family Law, The University of Texas School of Law Third Annual Family Law Seminar (1986)

  • Recent Significant Family Law Decisions, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1986)

  • Recent Significant Family Law Decisions, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1985)

  • Relationship Between Criminal Practice and Family Law Matters, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1985)

  • Supreme Court Jurisdiction in Divorce, Child Custody, Support and Reciprocal Support Cases, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1985)

  • Methods and Tools of Discovery, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1985)

  • Jurisdiction, Venue and Transfers in Family Law Cases, St. Mary's University School of Law Seventh Annual Procedural Institute--Procedural Aspects of Family Law (1985)

  • Trusts in Texas Family Law: What Are the Community Rights in Separately Created Trusts?, University of Texas School of Law Second Annual Family Law Seminar (1985) [Sample documents attached to presentation.]

  • A Practitioner's Guide to Interstate Custody Disputes, Southern Methodist University School of Law Eighth Biennial Specialists' Symposium on Family Law (1984)

  • Characterization of Property and Debts and Reimbursement, State Bar of Texas Divorce: Practical Aspects of Custody, Property and Enforcement (1984)

  • Handling the Appeal: Procedures and Pitfalls, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1984)

  • Intra and Inter Family Transactions, State Bar of Texas Advanced Family Law Course (1983)

  • Property Problems Created by Crossing State Lines, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1982)

  • Proving and Collecting Attorney's Fees: San Antonio's Answer to Fagin Tells All, State Bar of Texas Marriage Dissolution Course (1981)