Texas Divorce – An Overview

“A higher level of service” means that McNamara Law Office will provide you with a variety of realistic options to resolve your divorce. We believe in exhausting all other options, including negotiation, mediation, or collaborative law to settle your divorce before resorting to a Texas divorce trial. If you and your spouse cannot resolve your disputes, we will aggressively represent you in court.

Contemplating divorce is always difficult. Should you conclude that a Texas divorce is necessary, it is very important that you seek the assistance of an experienced family law attorney like Brian J. McNamara. Involving a knowledgeable Texas family law attorney as soon as possible in the divorce process is one of the best ways to preserve your own long-term financial and emotional health.

An Overview of a Texas Divorce

Grounds for Divorce

A divorce is a method of terminating a marriage contract between two individuals. In Texas, divorce can either be “no fault” or “fault-based”. No fault divorce is a marital termination proceeding where the divorce is granted without either party being required to show fault (show that the other party caused the breakdown of the marriage). Under no fault rules, either party may obtain a divorce, even if the other spouse does not consent to the divorce.

Texas divorces can also be fault-based, requiring one person to give a legal reason in order to get a divorce. In Texas, divorces can be granted on the grounds of:

  • adultery
  • abandonment
  • incurable insanity
  • imprisonment for a felony conviction
  • cruel and inhuman treatment

Typically, a fault-based divorce is pursued if the couple cannot reach a satisfactory settlement about property division, child support, or custody, and one party wants the court to consider the conduct of the other party when deciding the issue.

Contested Divorce

Before a Texas divorce may be granted, there are usually five basic issues that must be resolved::

  1. Alimony or spousal support
  2. Property divisionand,if there are children:
  3. Custody
  4. Visitation, and
  5. Child support.

If a divorcing couple agrees on all five of these issues in writing, they will be granted an uncontested divorce and avoid adversarial divorce litigation.

If there is disagreement, however, the divorce is contested, which means it may end up in trial before a judge or jury, or in another form of dispute resolution. It is important to consult with an attorney before deciding which method is right for your situation.

Divorce litigation involves a series of document exchanges and court appearances. In some instances there are questions or situations that need to be temporarily resolved before the final divorce agreement is reached or ordered by the court. Temporary orders on support, custody or other matters generally remain in effect until the final decision is made at the end of the divorce process. Ultimately, there will be a trial if a settlement hasn’t been reached. Witnesses may include friends, financial experts, and psychologists, as well as providing other types of evidence including financial records. The judge’s final decision provides the court’s rulings on all the issues raised by the parties.

Alimony, Spousal Support & Maintenance

Alimony, also known in Texas as maintenance, is financial support paid by one spouse to another. In Texas, a court awards maintenance in certain limited circumstances. If the court finds maintenance should be awarded, the appropriate amount will be determined by the court based on the factors set forth in the Texas Family Code.

Division of Property

Texas uses the community property system to distribute marital assets between divorcing spouses. Property acquired by either spouse during the marriage is community property to be divided upon divorce. Under Texas law, the division of property does not have to be equal. The courts are only required to divide the community property between the parties “in a manner that the court claims just and right, having due regard for the rights of each party and any children of the marriage.” If either spouse acquired property outside of the state, a court can also divide that property using community property rules if they divorce in Texas. Individual spouses may also own separate property that is treated differently under the legal rules. Because classification of property and its division can become one of the most contentious issues in a divorce, you need the advice and assistance of a family law attorney familiar with Texas family laws and procedures.

Conclusion

Reaching the decision to end a marriage is enormously difficult. Once you do make the decision, it is in your best interest to approach the divorce process from a rational, businesslike perspective, which is extraordinarily difficult given the emotional issues with which you must also cope. Working with a Texas attorney who is experienced in family law will ease your stress and help you get through the process to begin your new life.

DISCLAIMER: This site and any information contained herein are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Seek competent legal counsel for advice on any legal matter.

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Kingwood, Huffman, Lake Houston, Atascocita, Humble, Oakhurst, Walden, Walden Woods, Walden on Lake Houston, East FM 1960, The Woodlands, Fall Creek, Eagle Springs, Lakeshore, Silverlake, Redstone, Summerwood, Eagle Lake, West Lake Houston Parkway, The Heights, Greater Heights, Houston Heights, Downtown Houston, Memorial, Allen Parkway, Montrose, Houston Neartown, Houston Midtown and East Montgomery County.

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Steve KokotasSteve Kokotas

02:01 06 Aug 24
High integrity, smart, and hard working. You want Brian McNamara on your side.

Macie SheppardMacie Sheppard

14:43 05 Aug 24
I cannot express enough how grateful I am for the incredible support and guidance I received from McNamara Law Office. They truly care about their clients and go above and beyond to achieve the best outcomes! Highly recommend!

Stephen SpeesStephen Spees

18:34 13 May 24
Brian, Amanda, and Renee provided excellent guidance and legal support when it was most needed. I highly recommend their timely and professional services.

Lele ShahimLele Shahim

17:37 09 May 24
I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your exceptional work. Your dedication and efficiency have not gone unnoticed, and I truly appreciate your commitment to excellence. Thank you for consistently delivering quality results in such a timely manner!! Mr. McNamara finished my paperwork in 2 days and I appreciate all the support I got from everyone in the office!! Thank you All !!

Karen QuinnKaren Quinn

22:10 25 Apr 24
McNamara Law Office is exceptional andincredibly attentive and detail-oriented, making sure every aspect of my case was thoroughly addressed. Their professionalism and dedication to my case were outstanding, and I felt supported and well taken care of throughout the entire process. I am grateful for their expertise and would not hesitate to turn to them for future legal matters.

Cathy QuinnCathy Quinn

14:05 24 Apr 24
An amazing, knowledgeable and professional team. I highly recommend McNamara Law Office.

Douglas JonesDouglas Jones

01:18 24 Apr 24
These people are amazing. They are helping my family through the worst event of our lives and I really couldn’t ask for a higher degree of professionalism and care. They are razor sharp and completely transparent about cost as much as possible.They are not cheap and there are no guarantees but I believe they are absolutely worth it.You get what you pay for.

Christan SetterboChristan Setterbo

14:04 29 Jun 23
Aaron has helped guide us through one of the most trying and difficult times in my family’s life. Throughout this entire journey Aaron has remained realistic, professional, and has truly cared about our families needs. Aaron was able to help us settle our case in mediation while giving us peace of mind. The professionalism and organization of The McNamara Law Firm was superb! Paralegal J. Gama always held her self in a professional, courteous and educated manner. We are truly grateful for their help and guidance. We will definitely choose Aaron again should we need to seek legal counsel in the future.

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