Texas residents may agree that divorce can be a complicated situation. In fact, the entire divorce process may take a long time and it can potentially get unpleasant. In an earlier post, it was stated that Texas is a no-fault divorce state. That means that a person does not necessarily have to prove that the other spouse was at fault in order to obtain a divorce.
In Texas, it takes a minimum of two months for a divorce decree to become final. The two-month period begins when the original petition for divorce is filed in a Texas court. Many divorces, however, take a longer amount of time than that. It may take three to six months for a divorce to be finalized. However, if the divorce is contested, it may take several years for the divorce to be finalized. If the spouses are able to agree to the terms, the divorce will be settled more quickly.
In Texas, there is also an option for spouses to divorce without having to go to court. That is known as a collaborative divorce. With a collaborative divorce, the damage that a divorce may cause is usually less than with a litigated divorce. Collaborative law often allows spouses to part ways without ending up in court.
Once the divorce decree is final, the couple’s assets will be split. In a community property state, such as Texas, the assets that were obtained by the couple during their marriage will be divided between them. Additionally, the debts that the couple accrued during their marriage will also be owed by both of them. If a Texas court orders one spouse to pay community debt and that spouse does not fulfill that obligation, the other spouse may wish to sue.
Source: TYLA.org, “What to Expect in Texas Family Law Court,” Accessed on June 1, 2015