The decision to divorce a spouse is one that must be carefully considered. The issue with this situation is that once you decide you are going to divorce, you don’t want to prolong the process any. In fact, you might be upset to learn that you have some time restraints that are in place in Texas.
The first time period that you have to think about is the residency requirement. You have to be a resident of the county for 90 days and you must have lived here for at least six months.
If you are filing for a no-fault divorce, you will have to be separated for three years before you can file. Claiming a different fault for the divorce, such as adultery or desertion, can shorten the waiting period to one year. This is why your reason for filing the dissolution petition is so important.
Once you file for the divorce, you will have a 60-day waiting period before it can be finalized. The actual time might be longer if you and your ex can’t agree on the terms of the divorce and have to go through a trial. The 60 days is simply the shortest time possible.
It is possible to present a defense against divorce, but these aren’t at all common in Texas. The vast majority of divorces move forward through mediation, but some have to go through a trial if the two parties aren’t able to work together in mediation.
No matter how you feel about your divorce, you need to make sure that your rights are being respected in the process. You might be surprised at some of the ways that you have to stand up for yourself.
Source: FindLaw, “Texas Divorce Laws,” accessed April 11, 2018