| How long would it take me to get a divorce in Texas? |
Response: The exact time is not certain, of course; however, you cannot obtain a divorce in Texas less than 60 days from the date it is filed.
| Is it possible to get a “legal separation” in Texas? |
Response: No, however, once a divorce case is filed, you can get Temporary Orders which define the terms by which you and your spouse may proceed with such matters as paying of bills, rent, who would retain the right to reside in the home, temporary right to drive certain motor vehicles and the child related matters such as temporary right to establish the child’s residence and child support related issues.
| How much will a divorce cost me? |
Response: That would depend on the facts of your particular case and the issues involved, if any. An uncontested case would not be all that expensive, but a case that involves issues such as child custody, child support, community property division or substantial debts could be more depending on the amount of time required to be spent by the attorney in preparing and pursuing your interests.
| I have a friend who handled their own divorce, why was this not a good idea? |
Response: If children and/or real estate is involved in your divorce, you are taking a chance that you will cause more harm than good by handling the matters yourself. The Texas Family Code requires that children-related issues follow a strict set of guidelines concerning access, custody and support issues. A person who is not familiar with such matters can easily not properly handle the required issues, which would cause serious problems at some time after the final documentation in the matter is filed. Real estate also has strict requirements for legal transfer, which can easily be mishandled by a person unfamiliar with such requirements.
| What are the requirements for a “common law” marriage? |
Response: “Common law” marriages or marriages without formalities as they are also known, require evidence showing: [1] An agreement to be married; [2] cohabitation in the state of Texas; and [3] holding out to others that the parties were married.