{"id":1213,"date":"2018-07-19T17:29:10","date_gmt":"2018-07-19T17:29:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/alsandor.wpengine.com\/?page_id=1213"},"modified":"2018-09-18T08:11:56","modified_gmt":"2018-09-18T08:11:56","slug":"divorce-and-annulment","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/alsandorlaw.com\/divorce-and-annulment\/","title":{"rendered":"Divorce and Annulment"},"content":{"rendered":"
Frequently Asked Questions About Divorce and Annulment in Texas<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. What is an Annulment?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>An annulment is a proceeding that terminates a marriage. It declares the marriage void as if it never happened.<\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. What are Some of the Reasons I can get an Annulment?<\/strong><\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. I Believe I am Common-Law Married. Can I get a Common-Law Divorce?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>A common-law marriage occurs when a man and woman both 18 or over:<\/p>\n A common-law marriage may also occur if a man and woman, both 18 and over, sign a Declaration of Informal Marriage provided by the Bureau of Vital Statistics or the County Clerk.<\/p>\n There is no such thing as a common-law divorce. However if a man and woman:<\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. I Just Moved to Texas. Can I get a Divorce in Texas?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>For most persons, in order to file, one of the spouses must have lived in Texas for at least six (6) months, and in the county where the divorce will be filed for ninety (90) days.<\/p>\n If a Texas resident spends time outside of Texas, or their county of residence, to serve in the armed forces or other service of the United States or Texas, the time spent away on service is considered residence in Texas and the county.<\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. Must I Hire an Attorney to get a Divorce?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>No. A person can represent himself or herself. Such a person is called a pro se litigant. Pro se litigants must follow the same rules of the court and laws as attorneys.<\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. I do not Want to Represent Myself. Can I get a Court Appointed Attorney?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>Generally, attorneys are appointed by the court in special circumstances. A parent whose parental rights are being involuntarily terminated; a person who may be held in contempt for nonpayment of child support at a contempt hearing; or, a minor who is entitled to notice in a legal proceeding are all entitled to a court appointed attorney.<\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. I can not Afford an Attorney. Is There Help Available for Me?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>There are programs available in Harris County that may be able to assist you. For most of the programs, you will have to meet certain financial guidelines. Some of the programs are as follows:<\/p>\n Gulf Coast Legal Foundation Houston Bar Association\u2019s LegalLine Houston Lawyer Referral Service Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program Mexican-American Bar Association\u2019s University of Houston Law Center [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. What is the Process for Getting a Divorce?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>First, a divorce petition must be filed in the district clerk\u2019s office in order to begin the divorce suit. The minimum cost for filing the divorce is $150.00. The price goes up depending on how the other spouse is given notice of the suit, and if children are involved.<\/p>\n The other spouse must be notified of the suit. The spouse is notified by one of the following means:<\/p>\n After the other spouse is properly notified of the suit, that other spouse must file an answer no later than 20 days after he or she has received notice of the suit, on the first Monday after that 20 day period. If the other spouse has not answered by then, the filing party may be able to go forward with the divorce without the other spouse.<\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a>Q. I am Really Eager to get my Divorce. How Soon Will the Court Grant It?<\/strong><\/p>\n A.\u00a0<\/strong>The court will grant a divorce after the petition has been on file at least sixty (60) days. If the spouses are in agreement, the divorce can be finalized after the sixty- day period. However, if the spouses are not in agreement, the divorce may take several months to a year, especially if a trial is necessary.<\/p>\n In either case, the divorce will be final after the judge signs a Divorce Decree.<\/p>\n [Back to Top]<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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\n(713) 652-0077<\/p>\n
\n(713) 759-1133<\/p>\n
\n(713) 237-9429<\/p>\n
\n(713) 228-0732<\/p>\n
\nConsejos Legales
\n(713) 759-1133<\/p>\n
\nLegal Aid Clinic
\n(713) 743-2094<\/p>\n\n