Divorce
FORT BEND COUNTY DIVORCE LAWYERS
Divorce is commonly one of the most stressful processes for those involved. This is especially true for couples who have minor children and/or large or complicated marital estates. Through divorce, your marital relationship will be legally ended and many issues will need to be resolved before the process can be finalized. These issues include custody of children, child support, alimony, and a division of marital property and debts.
At Bastine Law Group, our experience advising and representing clients in divorce includes a full spectrum of divorce settlements negotiated outside of the courtroom as well as intensive litigation in court. Some couples can come to terms with their divorce issues relatively easily. Others involve intricate litigation where intense disagreements regarding child custody and/or property division erupt.
WE'RE FEIRCE ADVCATES, PROTECTING YOUR BEST INTERESTS.
FIGHTING FOR FAMILIES JUST LIKE YOURS
Our team will work with you to help ensure your case proceeds as smoothly as possible. We will discuss each step with you and give you personalized feedback on how it is likely to progress. Throughout the entire process, we will remain your staunch advocate in protecting your rights and seeking your best interests as well as those of your child(ren).
Reach out to Bastine Law Group online or at (281) 784-3222 to book a confidential consultation with a Fort Bend County divorce attorney. Also serving Harris County and surrounding areas.
DIVORCE BASICS IN TEXAS
Texas provides a no-fault option for divorce based on “insupportability.” This means that you no longer wish to remain married because of differences or disagreements that you and your spouse cannot resolve. In a no-fault divorce, neither you nor your spouse has to prove any type of marital misconduct in court. This means your divorce can proceed much faster. However, if you and your spouse do not agree on all of the issues involved, the process will take as long as necessary to resolve them at the settlement table or in court.
Texas also provides fault-based grounds for divorce; these must be proven in court. They include cruelty, adultery, abandonment, felony conviction with imprisonment, and mental illness. If you and your spouse have lived separately and apart for at least three years without any cohabitation, you can also file for divorce without having to prove any type of fault.
RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS
To file for divorce, either you or your spouse must have lived in Texas for six months and have been a resident in the county where you file for the previous 90 days.
Texas also has a waiting period of 60 days from the date the divorce petition was filed before a divorce can be granted by the court.
SPOUSAL MAINTENANCE
Spousal maintenance, also known as alimony, is not automatically granted in a Texas divorce. You can request temporary and more permanent maintenance but will need to show need and that your spouse has the resources to meet those needs. Maintenance is decided on a case-by-case basis based on the facts and circumstances presented to the court.