Fort Worth
Divorce Attorneys
Board Certified Family Law Specialist ·
Former Tarrant County Associate Judge
Representing You in Divorce, Custody, Support & Enforcement
What Our Fort Worth
Family Lawyers Handle
Every family law case is different. Whether your situation calls for quiet, efficient resolution or full-scale courtroom representation, our team matches our approach to what you actually need.
Divorce
From amicable, uncontested filings to high-asset and high-conflict divorces involving business valuations, hidden assets, and complex property division.
Learn about divorce →Child Custody
Conservatorship, possession schedules, primary residence, and protecting your parent-child relationship — including fathers' rights and 50/50 custody arrangements in Tarrant County.
Learn about custody →Child Support
Setting guideline or above-guideline support, handling self-employment and variable income, and addressing intentional underemployment by the other parent.
Support calculator →Enforcement
When the other side won't follow the order. We enforce child support, custody, visitation, and property division orders through contempt and clarification proceedings.
Learn about enforcement →Your Fort Worth
Divorce Attorney Team
Eight experienced divorce attorneys, including a Board Certified Family Law Specialist and a former Tarrant County Associate Judge. You get the full weight of the team — the right lawyer, the right resources, matched to what your divorce demands.
Turner Thornton
Division Lead · Family Law
Turner leads the Family Law Division. He handles complex divorce cases involving high-value assets, business interests, and contested custody disputes throughout Tarrant County. Known for strategic preparation and courtroom presence.
Craig Jackson
Partner · Board Certified in Family Law · Former Associate Judge, Tarrant County
Board Certified Family Law Specialist — a credential held by fewer than 1% of Texas attorneys. Before joining the firm, Craig served as an Associate Judge in Tarrant County, presiding over thousands of family and divorce cases. That view from the bench is now on your side of the table.
Dena L. Wilson
Partner · Family Law
Dena is a Partner with deep roots in Tarrant County family courts. She represents clients through every phase of a family law case — from temporary orders through final trial — and is known for thorough preparation and genuine client care.
Kristen Carr
Senior Associate · Family Law
Kristen is a Senior Associate focused on divorce, child custody, and modification cases. She brings a detail-oriented approach to every matter and is a particularly strong advocate in high-conflict custody disputes and protective order proceedings.
Cassidy Terrazas
Associate · Family Law
Cassidy handles divorce, custody, and support matters across Tarrant County. She combines compassionate, client-centered representation with an aggressive posture on outcomes — working closely with clients to understand goals and build strategies that protect what matters most.
Hailey Klingbeil
Associate · Family Law
Hailey represents clients in divorce, child custody, and support proceedings. She is known for thorough case preparation and the ability to translate complex legal concepts into plain terms clients can actually use.
McKenzie Coe
Associate · Family Law
McKenzie brings energy and precision to divorce, custody, and family law matters in Tarrant County. She is particularly skilled at navigating the emotional and logistical complexities of contested custody cases.
Michael Livens
Associate · Family Law
Michael represents clients in divorce, property division, and custody matters throughout Tarrant County. He is committed to thorough preparation and strategic advocacy — ensuring clients enter every hearing and negotiation with the strongest possible position.
You've Seen Us On
What Past Divorce Clients Say
Real reviews from Fort Worth families we've represented through divorce.
What to Expect When Working
With Our Fort Worth Divorce Attorneys
From your first call to final decree, here's how we work — and what a Fort Worth divorce actually costs.
Consultation
We sit down with you — in person, by phone, or by video — and listen. You'll walk out with a clear picture of your legal position, your options, and a realistic fee estimate based on your actual situation.
Strategy & Filing
We match the right attorney and the right approach to your case — amicable, contested, collaborative, or high-asset — then file, serve, and secure any temporary orders needed to protect you and your children.
Resolution
Most cases resolve through negotiation or mediation. When the other side won't be reasonable, we're prepared to try the case. Either way, your goal drives our strategy.
Cost
How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Fort Worth?
Divorce costs in Fort Worth typically range from under $10,000 for uncontested cases to well into six figures for high-asset, high-conflict matters. During your consultation, we give you a realistic estimate for your case. Here's what drives the number:
Complexity
Business valuations, hidden assets, executive compensation, multiple properties, or tracing of separate property all require specialized work.
Contentiousness
How much do you and your spouse disagree? Every contested hearing, deposition, and trial day adds cost. Every agreement reduces it.
Experience Level
A Board Certified Specialist or former judge commands a higher rate than a junior associate — but often produces faster, better outcomes on complex matters.
Contested vs. Uncontested Divorce in Texas
Texas recognizes two paths to divorce. An uncontested divorce happens when both spouses agree on all major issues: property division, child custody, and support. These cases move faster and cost less. A contested divorce means you disagree on at least one significant issue, and a judge may need to decide.
Most divorces start contested and become uncontested through negotiation. Under Texas Family Code Chapter 6, you can file on "no-fault" grounds (insupportability) or fault-based grounds including adultery, cruelty, felony conviction, or abandonment. Fault grounds can affect property division and spousal support.
How Texas Divides Property
Texas is a community property state, meaning most assets acquired during marriage belong equally to both spouses. But "equal" doesn't always mean "50/50." Under Texas Family Code Section 7.001, courts must divide community property in a manner that is "just and right." Fault, earning capacity, and primary custody of the children can all shift the division.
Separate property belongs only to you and stays out of the division — assets you owned before marriage, gifts, and inheritances. The challenge is proving something is separate after it's been mixed with community funds over years of marriage.
Fort Worth families often have complex assets that demand specialized handling:
- Business valuations for entrepreneurs and executives
- Tracing assets through commingled accounts with forensic accountants
- Executive compensation including stock options, RSUs, and deferred bonuses
- Oil and gas interests, ranch land, and multigenerational wealth
In a recent Tarrant County case, we represented a spouse whose partner had systematically moved community funds into accounts titled in his name alone. Our forensic analysis uncovered $340,000 in hidden transfers, resulting in a significantly more favorable property division. When assets are being hidden, you need attorneys with the resources and expertise to find them.
Child Custody in Tarrant County
Texas law calls custody "conservatorship." Most parents become Joint Managing Conservators, sharing decision-making rights for education, medical care, and religious upbringing. The parent with the right to determine primary residence typically has the children most of the time.
When parents can't agree, a Tarrant County judge decides based on the child's best interest. Under Texas Family Code Section 153.002, the court weighs each parent's ability to care for the child, the child's emotional and physical needs, any history of family violence, and (for older children) the child's own preferences.
Tarrant County judges follow somewhat predictable patterns, and our attorneys know those tendencies from years of practice in local courts. That local knowledge shapes how we present your case and what arrangement we pursue.
How Long Does a Fort Worth Divorce Take?
Texas requires a minimum 60-day waiting period from the date you file. Even if you and your spouse agree on everything, you cannot be divorced in less than 60 days. Realistically, most contested divorces in Tarrant County take 6 to 12 months. Complex cases extend to 18 months or longer. Uncontested divorces typically finalize within 60 to 90 days.
Temporary Orders: Protection While Your Case Is Pending
Divorce cases don't resolve overnight, but life doesn't pause. Temporary orders establish rules for the period between filing and final decree: who stays in the house, what the children's schedule looks like, who pays which bills, and whether either spouse can sell assets or empty accounts.
Under Texas Family Code Section 105.001, courts can issue temporary orders on all of these issues. Temporary orders hearings often set the tone for the entire case — the schedule established in temporary orders frequently becomes the permanent arrangement, because judges hesitate to disrupt children's routines. We prepare for temporary orders with the same intensity we bring to final trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Worth Divorce
How much does a divorce cost in Fort Worth?
Divorce costs in Fort Worth typically range from under $10,000 for uncontested cases to well into six figures for high-asset, high-conflict matters. The three biggest drivers are:
Complexity — business valuations, hidden assets, executive compensation, or multiple properties all add real work.
Contentiousness — every contested hearing, deposition, and trial day adds cost; every agreement reduces it.
Experience level — a Board Certified Specialist or former judge commands a higher rate than a junior associate, but often produces faster, better outcomes on complex matters.
During your consultation, we'll give you a realistic fee estimate based on your actual situation.
Can I file for divorce in Fort Worth if I just moved here?
To file for divorce in Texas, you must have lived in the state for at least six months and in your county for at least 90 days. If you recently moved to Fort Worth, you may need to wait before filing in Tarrant County, or you may need to file in your previous county of residence.
Will I have to go to court during my divorce?
In an uncontested divorce, only one spouse typically needs to attend a brief "prove-up" hearing to finalize the divorce. In contested cases, you may need to attend multiple hearings for temporary orders, discovery disputes, and potentially a final trial.
Can my spouse and I use the same attorney?
No. Texas law prohibits an attorney from representing both spouses in a divorce because your interests conflict. One spouse may be unrepresented while the other has counsel, but we strongly recommend both parties have their own attorney.
What happens to our house in the divorce?
The marital home is typically community property. Options include: one spouse buys out the other's interest, you sell the home and split proceeds, or one spouse (often the custodial parent) remains in the home temporarily while ownership is decided. What's "just and right" depends on your specific circumstances.
How is child support calculated in Texas?
Texas uses a formula based on the paying parent's net resources. For one child, the guideline is 20% of net monthly income; two children, 25%; three children, 30%. Courts can deviate from guidelines based on the child's needs, the parents' resources, and other factors in Texas Family Code Chapter 154.
What if my spouse is hiding assets?
Hidden assets are more common than people realize, especially in high-income divorces. Warning signs include sudden "business losses," unexplained transfers to family, and cash businesses with inconsistent records. We work with forensic accountants who specialize in tracing hidden funds. Texas courts take asset concealment seriously and can award a disproportionate share of property to the innocent spouse as a penalty.
Before You Call
What to Expect During Your Consultation
A quick walkthrough of what happens when you sit down with one of our Fort Worth divorce lawyers — what we'll ask, what you'll leave knowing, and how we decide if we're the right fit.
At Home in Fort Worth
300 Throckmorton Street, Suite 700, Fort Worth, TX 76102
Phone: (817) 203-2220
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Book Your Fort Worth Divorce Consultation
Sit down with a family law attorney who will listen to your situation, explain your options, and give you a realistic fee estimate for your case.
Book a Consultation ›Or call (817) 203-2220 to speak with our team today.