Divorce in Killeen Texas
Killeen TX Divorce Lawyers
When you are having marital difficulties and start to look into the details of the divorce laws in the state of Texas, it is important to realize the gravity of the situation and the magnitude of the decision. It is true that many couples spend considerable time and effort trying to work things out before filing for divorce, but there are those who act when emotions are running high and this is not a good time to make serious life decisions.
When couples divorce a lot of things change, and it can be difficult to maintain your quality of life on one income. And of course, divorce has a significant impact on the children as well as other extended family members like the children’s grandparents. Counseling is highly recommended before formally filing for divorce, and in fact, the court will sometimes order the couple to undergo counseling to evaluate the feasibility of a reconciliation before hearing the case.
If you do decide to move forward with the divorce proceeding, according to Chapter 6 of the Texas Family Code, one can seek a divorce on fault or no-fault grounds. A no-fault divorce more or less speaks for itself; the people in question are not claiming that either party is the cause of the divorce.
One can also choose to allege fault, and an at-fault divorce petition can be filed on the following grounds: cruelty, felony conviction, abandonment, adultery, living apart for at least three years, or mental hospital confinement. When a divorce is granted on a ground of fault, this can impact decisions of the court concerning things like spousal support and even child custody.
In order to meet the residency requirements for filing a divorce petition in Texas, either the petitioner or the respondent must have maintained a domicile in the state for a period of at least six months prior to the filing. In addition, one or both of the individuals must have resided for at least 90 days in the county within which the petition is being filed.
Divorce should be viewed as a last resort, but there are indeed cases when a marriage has run its course and simply cannot be repaired. The key then is to communicate civilly, act fairly, keep the best interests of the children in mind, and make every effort to reach terms that are agreeable to both parties.
If you are going though divorce proceedings, it best course of action is to retain the services of an experienced Killeen TX divorce lawyer.
