Texas divorce & custody questions, answered

It depends on how much you and your spouse can agree on, and I’ll give you a realistic range in our first session, not after. See the Pricing page for how my fees work and what drives cost up or down.

Texas has a 60-day minimum waiting period after filing. Agreed divorces often finish shortly after that; contested cases typically run six months to a year, sometimes longer if custody or complex property is disputed. I’ll give you a realistic timeline for your facts in the planning session.

Most of my cases settle without a trial. I negotiate first because it’s faster, cheaper and easier on your children. But I prepare every case as if it will go to trial; that preparation is what makes fair settlements happen.

Especially then. Knowing where you actually stand on custody, property and timing lets you make the decision calmly instead of in a crisis. Everything we discuss is confidential, whether or not you ever file.

No. Who files first has almost no effect on custody. What matters is the parenting record you build starting today, and I’ll show you exactly what that looks like.

Texas law starts from the presumption that both parents should be joint managing conservators. Courts decide on the child’s best interest, not the parent’s gender. Fathers who show up prepared, with a documented parenting record, do well in these courts; I’ve spent nearly 30 years proving it.

Usually not without your agreement or a court order; most Travis, Williamson and Hays county orders include a geographic restriction on where the children can live. If relocation is threatened, act quickly; this is one place timing genuinely matters.

Not automatically. What’s divided is the community share, at a defensible valuation, and there are many ways to structure a settlement that leaves your business intact. This is where Board Certified experience earns its keep.

Texas divides community property in a “just and right” manner, which is not automatically 50/50. Separate property (what you owned before marriage, gifts, inheritances) stays yours if it’s properly traced. The house and retirement accounts are usually the two biggest pieces; we’ll map both in your first session.

It happens, and there’s a legal process (discovery, subpoenas, forensic accounting when justified) for finding it. Tell me your suspicion early; the trail is easier to follow before accounts get restructured.