Family Law Attorney
Magnolia, Texas

Texas requires a mandatory 60-day waiting period from the date of filing. From there, timeline depends on whether the case is contested:

• Uncontested (no children): 60–90 days after filing
• Uncontested (with children): 60–120 days
• Contested — moderate complexity: 6–12 months
• High-asset or highly contested: 12 months to 2+ years

High-asset divorces involving rural land, agricultural operations, lake property, or business valuation typically take longer due to the discovery required to fully identify and value the marital estate.

Yes. Property acquired during the marriage is generally community property in Texas, subject to division in a just and right manner — not automatically 50/50. Separate property — owned before marriage, received as a gift, or inherited — is not subject to division. The claiming spouse bears the full burden of proof. In this area, this often arises with inherited land or family ranches. Community contributions to separate property can create reimbursement claims.

Yes — the portion accumulated during the marriage is generally community property. But dividing it requires a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) — a separate court order sent to the plan administrator. Without one, the administrator cannot legally divide the account.

• 401(k) and 403(b): Require a QDRO
• Pensions: Require a QDRO with plan-specific language
• IRAs: Divided through a transfer incident to divorce — no QDRO required but specific steps apply
• Early withdrawal: Triggers income taxes and a 10% federal penalty — never the right approach

Real property purchased during the marriage with community funds is community property, subject to just and right division. In this area, that frequently includes rural acreage, ranches, Lake Conroe waterfront property, and investment land. Common outcomes include one spouse buying out the other’s equity, a sale with proceeds divided, or a deferred sale.

If one spouse owned the property before marriage, received it as a gift, or inherited it, it may be separate property — but that spouse must prove it. Community contributions to the mortgage or improvements on separate property can create reimbursement claims.

Agricultural operations present some of the most complex property division issues in Texas family law. Key questions include characterization (was the ranch separate or community property?), valuation (what is the operation worth, including land, improvements, livestock, equipment, and leases?), and division (Texas courts rarely force a sale — the operation is typically awarded to one spouse with equivalent marital assets used to offset the other).

Community contributions — labor, income, mortgage payments, improvements — to a separate-property ranch can create reimbursement claims even when the land itself is separate property.

Montgomery County family courts apply the best interest of the child standard under TFC §153.002. Courts evaluate each parent’s day-to-day involvement, stability of each home environment, the child’s existing relationships with siblings and family, each parent’s physical and mental health, any history of family violence or substance abuse, each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent, and — for children 12 and older — the child’s expressed preference. Texas law is gender-neutral.

Montgomery County courts commonly restrict the child’s primary residence to Montgomery County and contiguous counties — Harris, Walker, San Jacinto, Waller, and Grimes. This prevents the primary parent from relocating the child outside that area without a court modification order or the other parent’s written consent. Violating a geographic restriction is grounds for an enforcement action and can support a modification petition.

The Expanded Standard Possession Order (ESPO) under TFC §153.317 gives the noncustodial parent significantly more time. The key difference is transfer timing: the Standard SPO begins Friday at 6:00 PM; the Expanded SPO begins at school dismissal Friday and ends when school resumes Monday morning. Summer possession may extend to 42 days. The Expanded SPO must be elected in writing at or within 30 days of the final order under TFC §153.3171 — it does not apply automatically.

Texas child support is calculated under TFC §154.125 using guideline percentages: 1 child — 20%; 2 children — 25%; 3 children — 30%; 4 children — 35%; 5 or more — 40%. Net resources are defined under TFC §154.062 and include wages, salary, commissions, overtime, self-employment income, and other sources after certain deductions. Guidelines apply to the first $9,200 in monthly net resources.

Self-employment income — including income from ranches, agricultural operations, and small businesses — is included in net resources under TFC §154.062. However, calculating net resources for a self-employed parent is more complex than for a salaried employee. Business expenses, depreciation, and owner distributions all affect the calculation. Courts scrutinize self-employment income carefully, and accurate documentation of income and expenses is critical from the start.

Child support in Texas typically ends when the child turns 18 or graduates from high school — whichever occurs later. If the child has a physical or mental disability requiring ongoing support, the obligation may continue beyond age 18 under TFC §154.302. Support does not end automatically — the paying parent may need to formally terminate the obligation through the court to stop wage withholding.