Divorce Attorney in Fort Worth

Bilingual Divorce Representation in Tarrant County Since 1997

Divorce touches nearly every part of your life: property and finances, parenting time, child support, and your path forward. At Cañas & Flores, attorneys Armando Flores and Kerry Yanez have guided Fort Worth clients through both contested and uncontested divorce since 1997. Our entire staff is 100% bilingual, so English- and Spanish-speaking clients communicate directly with everyone on the team. No interpreter is needed. Whether your case settles quickly or requires litigation, we’re prepared to represent you at every stage.

After-hours meetings are available, and our office is accessible by public transportation with ample parking. We respond promptly and address questions personally, so you know where your case stands.

Contact Cañas & Flores at (817) 500-9448 to arrange for a free case evaluation today.

Fault & No-Fault Grounds for Divorce in Texas

Texas allows divorce on no-fault grounds when a marriage has become insupportable. That means there’s no reasonable expectation of reconciliation. No-fault is the most common path, but the Texas Family Code also recognizes living apart for at least three years and confinement in a mental hospital as additional no-fault grounds, along with four fault-based grounds a spouse may choose to allege.

Fault grounds recognized under the Texas Family Code:

• Adultery
• Cruelty
• Conviction of a felony
• Abandonment

Fault matters beyond the initial filing. A court that finds fault may weigh that finding when dividing marital property or determining spousal support, and fault can be relevant to custody decisions when the conduct at issue directly affects the children. Whether fault applies to your situation is one of the first questions we work through with clients.

Property, Custody & Support in a Texas Divorce

Community Property Division

Texas is a community property state. Most assets and debts acquired during the marriage are presumed community property and subject to division. Separate property (what you owned before marriage or received as a gift or inheritance) is not. The Texas Family Code requires a just-and-right division of community property, which doesn’t automatically mean a 50/50 split. Courts weigh the specific facts of each case, and outcomes vary accordingly.

Conservatorship, Support & Spousal Maintenance

Every divorce must also resolve conservatorship and possession. In Texas, managing conservatorship covers decision-making authority over a child’s life. Possessory conservatorship covers parenting time. Courts apply the best interests of the child standard in all custody determinations. Child support and spousal maintenance, available only in limited circumstances and subject to statutory caps on both amount and duration, must be resolved before the final decree is signed.

The Divorce Process in Tarrant County

Filing Requirements & the 60-Day Waiting Period

To file for divorce in Tarrant County, at least one spouse must have lived in Texas for six months and in the county for 90 days. Cases are filed at the Tarrant County Family Law Center in Fort Worth. Once the petition is filed, Texas imposes a mandatory 60-day waiting period before the divorce can be finalized.

Contested vs. Uncontested Timelines

How long a case takes beyond that 60-day floor depends on how much the spouses agree on. Uncontested divorces, where both parties have resolved all issues, can often close near the minimum. Contested cases in Tarrant County can run from several months to more than two years, depending on the complexity of property, custody, and support disputes.

Temporary Orders & Mediation

Early in a contested case, temporary orders may be issued to address custody arrangements, support payments, and living situations while the case is pending. Mediation is commonly required or strongly encouraged in Tarrant County before a contested case proceeds to trial. If mediation doesn’t resolve all issues, a judge at the Tarrant County Family Law Center makes final decisions on contested matters.

Why Fort Worth Clients Choose Cañas & Flores

Our attorneys bring over 50 years of combined legal experience to every case, and we’ve been practicing in Fort Worth since 1997. That history in Tarrant County means real familiarity with local courts and the judges who hear family law cases. Clients facing contentious divorces benefit from trial-tested representation. We prepare every case as if it will go before a judge, which can also strengthen our position in mediation and settlement negotiations.

Clients work directly with their attorney rather than being handed off to support staff. We offer tailored legal strategies scaled to each client’s situation and budget, and our fully bilingual team means Spanish-speaking clients don’t need an outside interpreter to understand what’s happening in their case. View our case results to see the work we’ve done for clients across Tarrant County.

Reach out to our firm at (817) 500-9448 or contact us online to discuss your case today.