Guides: Divorce: General Information

Research from Home

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Below are some e-book titles that may help you with your research on divorce.

About This Guide

This research guide is intended to help you locate accurate legal information about divorces and annulment in Texas. The information on this page is geared toward pro se and self-represented litigants who wish to take care of things without an attorney.

Click on the "Practice Aids" tab to access a list of practice aids geared towards attorneys (but also useful for self-represented litigants) that are available at the library.

Texas Law

Below you will find references to areas of the Texas Family Code that govern divorce and annulment.

If you find these statutes difficult to understand, you may want to look at the "plain English" resources listed on this page, visit a law library to access other self-help publications, or speak to an attorney.

Texas Family Code
Chapters 6 through 9 of the Family Code govern divorces (dissolution of marriage) and marital property, including spousal maintenance (alimony).

Explained in "Plain English"

Because Texas and federal law may not be easy to understand, below you'll find a collection of resources that help to explain the law in "plain English."

Divorce Articles
These articles from TexasLawHelp discuss various concerns surrounding the divorce process.
FAQs: Filing a Divorce without Children
This FAQ page from TexasLawHelp addresses common questions about divorce in Texas. The questions do not address situations where children are involved, but may be of interest to anyone getting divorced.
Financial Resources & Help When You Are Divorcing With a Low Income
This page from TexasLawHelp provides information about assistance and strategies that may be available to you if you are divorcing and have a low income.
Pro Se Divorce Handbook: Representing Yourself in Family Court [PDF]
This handbook provides information about representing yourself in simple, uncontested divorce proceedings. It discusses issues related to marital property and child custody as well as court etiquette.
What to Expect in Texas Family Law Court [PDF]
This is a guide, provided by the Texas Young Lawyers Association, on family law court proceedings. It provides a close look at the legal process for those unfamiliar with court proceedings in an effort to make the experience less difficult.

Forms

These forms are provided by Texas Law Help and other sources as a courtesy and are not a substitute for legal advice. Please refer to the LiveChat chat feature on TexasLawHelp.org for assistance with using these forms.

Annulment
This kit includes instructions and documents to petition for an annulment. The site cautions you to review the grounds for an annulment carefully to see if you qualify before filing.
Divorce kits
File for divorce. Choose a kit with instructions and forms to match your situation (opposite-sex or same-sex couples, with or without children).
Divorce forms [PDF]
The Texas Supreme Court has approved this set of forms for use in uncontested divorces—i.e., when both parties are in agreement—that do not involve children or real property.
Travis County—Reference Attorney Walk-In Family Law Case Review
If you have an uncontested family law case in Travis County, you must have your forms reviewed by a reference attorney at the Travis County Law Library's Walk-In Case Review before going to court to finish your case.

Who Can I Contact?

Because state agencies are unable to offer legal advice to the public, there are not many official state resources for Texans needing help with their divorce. If you require assistance, consider speaking to an attorney or a legal aid organization. For help finding legal assistance, see the "Need Legal Assistance?" box on this page.

Texas Vital Statistics (Texas Department of State Health Services)
The Vital Statistics office can help you locate marriage or divorce records.
Travis County Reference Attorney
If you are filing on the uncontested docket (meaning both parties agree) in Travis County, the reference attorney is available to review forms and assist with the process. The reference attorney cannot represent either party.

Legal Research Guides from the Texas State Law Library

The Texas State Law Library reference librarians have compiled legal research guides for specific areas of the law. These guides contain resources that can help you research a legal issue. The American Association of Law Libraries has a guide for Non-Lawyers on How to Research a Legal Problem [PDF]. If you have any questions, please contact us at (512) 463-1722 or at library@sll.texas.gov.

Important:

The information provided on this page has been prepared for general information purposes only and should not be construed as, nor substituted for, legal advice. It is strongly recommended that you contact an attorney for advice specific to your fact situation. Your local bar association or the State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Information Service (1-800-252-9690) can assist you with locating an attorney.

Some of the electronic resources we refer to in this guide may be in PDF format. Adobe Reader or similar software is required to view PDFs.

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Divorce