Going Through The Big "D" In Dallas: Texas Divorce Laws That Could Apply To You

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There may be a song about it, but the truth is, divorce is a real possibility if you live in the city of Dallas. The two primary metropolitan areas of Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston see marriages dissolve more often than any other city of sizable comparison, according to a report from the New York Times. If you happen to be one of the individuals considering divorce and you live in the great state of Texas, there are a few divorce laws that could come into play.

If you are pregnant, you may have to wait to see a divorce finalized.

Many states have similar laws, but most people have no idea that they would be better off to wait to file a divorce after their baby is born if they are pregnant. In Texas, if the woman in the relationship is expecting, even if the significant other is not the actual father, the court will likely hold off on finalizing anything until the birth of the child. This is because child custody decrees and considerations are always a part of the divorce process, so it is easier to just do everything at one time instead of having to see you in the court process twice.

There are only certain reasons you can file for divorce in Texas.

Just like every other state, Texas has only a specific list of reasons why you can legally file for a divorce. Some of those reasons include:

  1. One person or the other has committed adultery

  2. A spouse has been abandoned for at least a year

  3. Cruelty or abuse has been an issue

  4. A couple has been separated for at least three years

  5. Marriage has become insupportable due to conflicts of interest or discord

If you intend to file for divorce, it is best to have your reasoning pinned down before you talk to an attorney to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible.

Your spouse has only 21 days to respond to a divorce filing.

Unlike many other places, the state of Texas wastes no time with trying to track down spouses during a divorce filing. Once you have filed for divorce and the divorce papers have been served, your significant other has 21 days to file an answer with the court system. If there is no answer or communication, the proceedings will continue without their input, which can sometimes give you a greater advantage in the whole situation.

For more information, contact a family lawyer in your area.

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10 August 2016

changing a child's last name after a divorce

When I began the divorce process, I knew that I wanted to change my name back to my maiden name. I no longer wanted to be associated with the family name of the man that I was divorcing. The problem was, I have three kids that all had their father's name. I wanted to know if I would be able to change their last names to my maiden name rather than having them carry that family's name for the rest of their lives. I found out a lot about what it would take and began working to create this blog to help other women wanting to do the same thing.