Does every divorce go to trial?

No, not at all. Very few divorce cases go to a trial. Most couples are able to reach an out of court settlement. These out of court settlements are often reached using mediation, collaborative law, settlement conferences, and simple negotiation over the phone.

Of course, there are certain situations that may force you to go to court, but that’s usually a last resort. Most people prefer to have control over the decisions made during their divorce instead of letting a judge do it for them.

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Can I avoid child support by signing over my rights?

Probably not. Texas law recognizes that a child has a right to know both of his or her parents. Also, Texas courts want to make sure that children are supported and cared for. This is why they always try to do what’s in the “best interest of the child.”

Unless there is another person that wants to adopt your child, it’s unlikely that a judge would grant a termination of parental rights.

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Do I have to live in Texas to get a divorce here?

The Texas divorce residency requirements are fairly simple. There are two conditions that you must meet before you can file for divorce in Texas:

Either you or your spouse must have been living in Texas for at least 6 months
Either you or your spouse must have been living in the county in which you’re [...]

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What are the grounds for divorce?

Grounds basically means the reason for your divorce. In Texas, you can file for divorce based on fault grounds or no fault grounds.
The fault grounds are adultery, cruelty (domestic violence), incarceration and abandonment.
The no fault grounds are insupportability, living apart for 3+ years, and confinement in a mental institution.
The vast majority of divorce cases [...]

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Can I get an appointed lawyer?

Texas courts typically only appoint a lawyer for you in a criminal case. So it’s unlikely that a judge will will appoint an attorney for you for a family matter such as divorce.
However, if one party to the divorce is missing or unable to be found, the court may appoint someone to represent their interests. [...]

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How do I stop my divorce?

Marriage is a contract and that contract can be terminated by either party. In layman’s terms, if either spouse wants a divorce, he or she can get one. The other party can’t stop it.
If you don’t want to get a divorce, but your spouse does, then non-legal options such as marriage counseling may be your [...]

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Can I get a legal separation?

The short answer is no. There is no such thing as legal separation in Texas. You can certainly separate before you get a divorce, but that doesn’t mean anything legally.
In Texas, you are married until you get a divorce.

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How much child support will I pay?

The monthly net income is the monthly gross income minus federal income taxes, state income taxes, social security taxes, and union dues.
If the monthly net income is greater than $7,500 after this calculation, then you can reduce it to $7,500. ($7,500 is the maximum monthly net income for the purposes of Texas child support calculations.)
If [...]

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How can I prove residency?

The simplest way to prove how long you’ve lived here is to sign an affidavit that states when you moved to Texas. That’s good enough for most situations.
However, if anyone decided to contest the date you state in the affidavit, then the court would need to see other evidence to back that date up.
There are [...]

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Can I get a divorce while I’m pregnant?

You can start a divorce when you’re pregnant, but you won’t be able to finalize the divorce until the baby is born or the pregnancy otherwise ends. Texas Judges won’t finalize your divorce as long as you’re still pregnant because they want to establish child support obligations. They’re going to act on what’s in the [...]

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