If you only learn one thing about the money side of a Texas divorce, make it this. Everything the two of you possess when the divorce is filed is presumed to be community property, and if you think some of it is yours alone, the burden is on you to prove it. Not on your … Read more
This is one of the most emotionally loaded questions I get, and it usually arrives in the same form. My spouse cheated, and I want the judge to know. Or, my spouse made my life hell for nine years, and I’m not going to stand up in court and call it irreconcilable differences like nothing … Read more
Most people filing their own divorce start by looking for the forms, and I understand the impulse, because the forms feel like the actual work. But there are three threshold questions that come before any of that, and getting one of them wrong means you file, pay, wait, and then find out the court can’t … Read more
A mediated settlement agreement in Texas isn’t a proposal, and it isn’t a draft you get to sleep on and revise in the morning. If it meets the requirements in the Texas Family Code, it’s about as close to bulletproof as anything gets in family law, and most pro se litigants don’t find that out … Read more
A divorce or custody case can take months to finalize, but life doesn’t pause while you wait. That’s what temporary orders are for — interim decisions about custody, possession, support, and use of property while the case is pending. Here’s how to request one and what to expect. I’m a pro se coach, not an … Read more
If your Texas divorce involves any meaningful property, expect the court to require a Sworn Inventory and Appraisement — often just called “the inventory.” It’s one of the most important documents in a divorce case, and it’s also one that trips up a lot of pro se litigants simply because they don’t realize it’s signed … Read more
Deciding to file for divorce pro se in Texas — meaning without a lawyer — is a big step, and it’s one more Texans are taking every year. If you’re doing this on your own, the process is manageable when you break it into stages. Here’s what that looks like from the first form to … Read more
Retirement accounts are often the most valuable — and most mishandled — assets in a Texas divorce. Learn how 401ks, IRAs, and pensions are divided, why QDROs matter, and the costly mistakes couples make when they skip this step.
Children in high-conflict Texas divorces suffer real harm when exposed to parental conflict. Learn the specific steps to shield your kids, maintain stability, and show the court you’re the parent who puts your children first.
Filing for divorce in Texas without an attorney is possible — but it requires knowing every step from jurisdiction to final decree. Here’s a complete pro se overview of the Texas divorce process from start to finish.