{"id":376550,"date":"2020-08-03T11:32:28","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T16:32:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/texas-law\/how-to-file-for-divorce-in-texas.html"},"modified":"2024-12-20T17:11:29","modified_gmt":"2024-12-20T22:11:29","slug":"how-to-file-for-divorce-in-texas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/texas-law\/how-to-file-for-divorce-in-texas.html","title":{"rendered":"How To File for Divorce in Texas"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\">\n        <h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">How To File for Divorce in Texas<\/h1>\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/christie-nicholson-j-d\/\">Christie Nicholson, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw Staff<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            December 20, 2024\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n<p>Whether you&#8217;re ready to file for divorce or are just thinking about it, it helps to know what the divorce process entails. You should also consider whether you want a <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/divorce\/texas?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Texas divorce lawyer<\/a> to help with your divorce case.<\/p>\r\n<p>This article will discuss how to file for divorce in Texas. It will also explain how the Texas divorce process works and answer frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Texas divorce law.<\/p>\r\n<h2><b>When Should You Hire a Texas Divorce Attorney?<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p>In Texas, you don&#8217;t have to hire a divorce lawyer. You have every right to handle your divorce case yourself. But there are times when it&#8217;s best to have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/do-you-need-a-divorce-lawyer.html\">family law attorney by your side<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce.html\">divorce process<\/a> can be intimidating and confusing. There&#8217;s a lot at stake in a divorce, especially if you have minor children or significant assets. If you choose to represent yourself, the judge isn&#8217;t going to take pity on you. They&#8217;ll hold you to the same standard as a licensed divorce attorney.<\/p>\r\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.txcourts.gov\/media\/515764\/divorceset1forms.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Texas Office of Court Administration<\/a> recommends that anyone going through a divorce consult a family law attorney. This is especially important if any of the following apply to your divorce case:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>You and your spouse disagree on the division of community property, child custody, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-support\/child-support-basics.html\">child support<\/a>, or spousal support (alimony)<\/li>\r\n<li>There is family violence or threats of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/texas-law\/texas-domestic-violence-laws.html\">domestic violence<\/a> in your case<\/li>\r\n<li>Your spouse has an attorney<\/li>\r\n<li>You or your spouse have significant community property such as real property, expensive vehicles, retirement accounts, business, etc.<\/li>\r\n<li>You or your spouse have a lot of debt<\/li>\r\n<li>You will need alimony to support yourself after the divorce<\/li>\r\n<li>You have a child with special needs<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<h2><b>Before You File for Divorce<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p>Regardless of who handles your case, there are decisions you must make before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/filing-and-serving-the-divorce-dissolution-petition.html\">filling your family law case<\/a>. You don&#8217;t want to wait too long to make these decisions, especially if you want to file before your spouse files.<\/p>\r\n<p>Some of the things you must determine before filing your original divorce petition include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><b>Type of divorce you intend to file.<\/b> You&#8217;ll need to decide whether to file a contested or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/uncontested-divorce.html\">uncontested divorce<\/a>. You and your spouse agree to the major divorce issues with an uncontested divorce. You can request a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/law-and-life\/what-does-default-mean-in-a-divorce\/\">default divorce judgment<\/a> if your spouse doesn&#8217;t respond to your petition. This is another form of an uncontested divorce. With a contested divorce, the parties disagree on issues like child custody, alimony, and property division.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Fault or no-fault divorce.<\/b> If you and your spouse agree that divorce is the best option, you&#8217;ll likely opt for a no-fault divorce. But you can still file a fault-based divorce in Texas.<\/li>\r\n<li><b>Division of marital property.<\/b> Unless you and your spouse agree, the judge will divide your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/checklist-dividing-marital-property.html\">marital assets<\/a> equally. The family courts may force you to sell the marital home and split the proceeds. It may be best for you and your spouse to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/marriage\/managing-marital-property-do-s-and-don-ts.html\">negotiate property division<\/a>. This way, you can discuss which assets are most important to each of you and work out a fair settlement agreement.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>We will discuss these issues in more detail below.<\/p>\r\n<h3><b>Contested vs. Uncontested Divorce<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p>In an uncontested divorce, the parties agree on everything, from how they&#8217;ll divide&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/community-property-overview.html\">community property<\/a> to their parenting plan. In a contested divorce, the spouses have issues that they disagree on.<\/p>\r\n<p>Uncontested divorces are less expensive and take less time to finalize. Typically, you&#8217;ll work with your spouse to complete all necessary&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/texaslawhelp.org\/family-divorce-children\/divorce\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">divorce forms<\/a> and submit them to the clerk&#8217;s office at your local county courthouse. You should have a divorce attorney review your divorce papers before submitting them to the family court.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you file a contested divorce, it will take longer and cost more money. You&#8217;ll have to pay significant attorney&#8217;s fees. You may also have to pay to file motions, depose your spouse, and have someone appraise your marital property.<\/p>\r\n<h3><b>Fault vs. No-Fault Divorce<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p>Another factor to consider is whether you will file for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/an-overview-of-no-fault-and-fault-divorce-law.html\">no-fault or a fault-based divorce<\/a>. All states, including the State of Texas, recognize no-fault divorce. To file this type of petition, you must certify insupportability. In other words, you must state that your marriage is broken and there is no chance of reconciliation.<\/p>\r\n<p>Texas family courts also offer&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/statutes.capitol.texas.gov\/Docs\/FA\/htm\/FA.6.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">grounds for divorce<\/a>. If you wish to file a fault-based divorce, you must submit evidence of misconduct. Of course, your spouse has the right to file a counter-petition and challenge your allegations.<\/p>\r\n<p>The type of divorce you file affects the outcome of your case. For example, you may get a more significant share of the community property with a fault-based divorce. With a no-fault divorce, the court will resolve community property division by splitting the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/community-property-overview.html\">marital property<\/a> evenly.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you are unsure which type to file, consult a Texas divorce lawyer for legal advice.<\/p>\r\n<h3><b>Filing for Divorce<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p>Once you are ready to file for divorce, you must complete the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/texaslawhelp.org\/sites\/default\/files\/fm-divc-100-div-kids-priororder-petition-english-petitioner.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Original Petition for Divorce<\/a> carefully and completely. Make two copies, then bring the original and the two copies to the District Clerk&#8217;s Office at your local county courthouse.<\/p>\r\n<p>You (or your spouse) must have lived in the county for at least 90 days before filing your petition. This is because of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/divorce-residency-faq-s.html\">Texas&#8217; residency rule<\/a>. You must also prove that you have lived in Texas for at least six months.<\/p>\r\n<p>Filing your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/filing-and-serving-the-divorce-dissolution-petition.html\">divorce petition<\/a> begins the divorce process. The court clerk will file-stamp your family law case and assign it a docket number. The court clerk will return two copies of the petition. You keep one and use the other one to serve your spouse.<\/p>\r\n<h3><b>Serving Your Spouse<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p>You must <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/answering-the-divorce-dissolution-petition.html\">serve your spouse<\/a> with a copy of your divorce petition. There are several ways you can do this. If you&#8217;re lucky, your spouse will sign a waiver of service. This will save you time and money. If your spouse isn&#8217;t willing to do this, you must rely on a traditional service method.<\/p>\r\n<p>You can pay a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/law-and-life\/can-i-serve-divorce-papers-myself\/\">sheriff or process server<\/a> to serve your spouse. They will provide you with a Return of Service affidavit. You file this form with the clerk as proof that you served your spouse with a copy of your divorce petition.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you can&#8217;t locate your spouse, or if they&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/law-and-life\/dont-bother-avoiding-process-servers\/\">evading service<\/a>, let the court clerk know. The judge may allow alternate ways of serving them, such as posting a notice in the newspaper.<\/p>\r\n<h3><b>Wait for Your Spouse&#8217;s Answer<\/b><\/h3>\r\n<p>The respondent (your spouse) will usually file an answer. This is their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/answering-the-divorce-dissolution-petition.html\">formal response to your petition for divorce<\/a>. They have 20 days to do this. They also have the right to file a counter-petition. For example, if you file a fault-based divorce for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/child-custody\/will-i-lose-child-custody-for-cheating.html\">adultery<\/a>, your spouse can argue that you were the unfaithful party.<\/p>\r\n<p>If your spouse doesn&#8217;t file an answer, your divorce attorney can request a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/legalblogs\/strategist\/is-it-ever-a-good-idea-to-allow-a-default-judgment\/\">default judgment<\/a>. Texas law requires that 60 days pass between the day you file your petition and the day your judge issues a final divorce decree. (Note: There is an exemption to the 60-day waiting period for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/domestic-violence.html\">domestic violence cases<\/a>.)<\/p>\r\n<h2>Divorce Proceedings in Texas<\/h2>\r\n<p>As you can see, filing for divorce is complex. Filing your petition is the first step in a lengthy&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/a-divorce-timeline.html\">divorce process<\/a>. After your spouse files their answer, the divorce proceedings will get underway.<\/p>\r\n<p>You must take several steps before the judge will issue a final decree of divorce. These steps may include:<\/p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Settlement negotiations<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/divorce-mediation-faq.html\">Mediation<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/exchange-of-documents-and-information-discovery.html\">Discovery<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Trial preparation<\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/family-court-and-final-judgment.html\">Trial<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Settlement agreement and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/settlement-agreements-and-court-approval.html\">final order<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li>Appeals window<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>Because divorce can be such a long and complex process, most people prefer to use a divorce lawyer.<\/p>\r\n<p>If you are worried about the cost of divorce, ask your divorce lawyer about ways of keeping costs down. They may have suggestions like doing some of the document preparation yourself or only getting their help on certain things (known as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/your-comprehensive-guide-to-divorce-options.html\">limited-scope representation<\/a>).<\/p>\r\n<h2><b>How To Find a Divorce Attorney in Texas<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<p>Do your homework before <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/divorce\/texas?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hiring a divorce attorney<\/a>. Research the law firm and see what other clients say about it.<\/p>\r\n<h2><b>More Resources<\/b><\/h2>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/how-to-divorce.html\">How To Divorce<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/texas-law\/texas-legal-requirements-for-divorce.html\">Texas Divorce Laws<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/divorce-information-by-state.html\">Divorce Information by State<\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/family\/divorce\/filing-and-serving-the-divorce-dissolution-petition.html\">Filing and Serving Divorce Papers<\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question 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<svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-down\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3423)\">\n                        <path id=\"Vector\"\n                              d=\"M16 0.999995H18.67C19.236 0.989986 19.7859 1.18813 20.2154 1.55681C20.645 1.9255 20.9242 2.43905 21 3V10C20.9242 10.5609 20.645 11.0745 20.2154 11.4432C19.7859 11.8119 19.236 12.01 18.67 12H16M9.00003 14V18C9.00003 18.7956 9.3161 19.5587 9.87871 20.1213C10.4413 20.6839 11.2044 21 12 21L16 12V0.999995H4.72003C4.2377 0.994543 3.76965 1.16359 3.40212 1.47599C3.0346 1.78839 2.79235 2.22309 2.72003 2.7L1.34003 11.7C1.29652 11.9866 1.31586 12.2793 1.39669 12.5577C1.47753 12.8362 1.61793 13.0937 1.80817 13.3125C1.99842 13.5313 2.23395 13.7061 2.49846 13.8248C2.76297 13.9435 3.05012 14.0033 3.34003 14H9.00003Z\"\n                              stroke=\"#666666\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" 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<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This FindLaw article discusses filing for divorce in Texas. 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