Texas family law
Family cases turn on judgments a form cannot make — a child's best interest, a just-and-right division. So this lane does the opposite of the AI tools that generate a custody petition: it shows you the law and the process, verbatim, and routes the drafting to a licensed Texas attorney.
The platform SHOWS Texas family law, the process, and the standard forms that exist; a licensed Texas attorney (or the party alone) makes every judgment — what to seek, what is in a child's best interest, what to file. The software never drafts a family petition or parenting plan for you, never tells you what custody to pursue, and never predicts what a court will do.
- • TrialVector is software, not a lawyer and not a law firm. These products are not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. (Tex. Gov't Code § 81.101(c).)
- • Family law decisions — conservatorship, possession, support, property — turn on a best-interest and just-and-right analysis that is a legal judgment, not a form fill.
- • This lane shows the law and the process. It does not draft your petition or parenting plan, tell you what to seek, or predict a result.
- • No attorney–client relationship is formed by using this tool.
- • Deadlines and court dates control your rights — verify every date with the court.
Divorce (dissolution of marriage)
Texas is a no-fault state (insupportability) but also recognizes fault grounds. There is a 60-day waiting period from filing before a divorce can be granted, and residency requirements apply (6 months in the state, 90 days in the county).
Tex. Fam. Code §§ 6.001–6.007 (grounds) · § 6.301–6.302 (residency) · § 6.702 (60-day waiting period)
Why an attorney: Which grounds to plead, and whether fault matters to your property or custody outcome, is a legal judgment.
Property division — 'just and right'
Texas is a community-property state. The court divides the community estate in a manner it deems 'just and right' — which is NOT automatically 50/50 — while confirming each spouse's separate property.
Tex. Fam. Code § 7.001 (just and right) · § 3.001–3.003 (separate vs community)
Why an attorney: Characterizing property and arguing what division is just and right is core legal judgment.
Conservatorship & the Standard Possession Order
Texas frames custody as conservatorship (decision-making) and possession/access (time). The best interest of the child is ALWAYS the primary consideration, and the law provides a Standard Possession Order as a starting framework — presumed for children 3 and older absent a reason to vary.
Tex. Fam. Code § 153.002 (best interest primary) · § 153.131–153.135 (conservatorship presumptions) · § 153.251–153.317 (the Standard Possession Order)
Why an attorney: A best-interest determination is PURE legal judgment — the sharpest reason this lane routes to counsel and never drafts a parenting plan.
Child support — the guidelines
Texas computes guideline support as a percentage of the obligor's net resources, stepping by the number of children, subject to the statutory cap on net resources that is periodically adjusted.
Tex. Fam. Code § 154.125 (guideline percentages) · § 154.061–154.070 (net resources) · § 154.001 (support order)
Why an attorney: Applying the guidelines to real income, and arguing for or against a variance, is a legal judgment; the platform shows the guideline, it does not set your number.
Protective orders (family violence)
A person who is a victim of family violence may apply for a protective order; the court sets a hearing and may issue a temporary ex parte order on a showing of a clear and present danger.
Tex. Fam. Code §§ 82.001–82.009 (application) · § 83.001 (temporary ex parte) · § 85.001 (required findings)
Why an attorney: Whether the facts support an application, and what relief to seek, is a legal judgment — and safety planning may need immediate help.
SAPCR — the suit affecting the parent-child relationship
The procedural vehicle for conservatorship, possession, support, and related relief — with its own standing, venue, and notice rules.
Tex. Fam. Code §§ 101.001 et seq. (definitions) · § 102.003 (standing) · § 103.001 (venue)
Why an attorney: Standing and venue in a SAPCR are threshold legal questions that decide whether your suit proceeds at all.
Modification & enforcement
An existing order can be modified on a material and substantial change; enforcement (including contempt for missed support or denied possession) runs its own procedure with strict pleading requirements.
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101 (modification standard) · § 157.002 (enforcement pleading) · § 157.061–157.066 (hearing)
Why an attorney: What counts as a material change, and how to plead an enforcement motion so contempt is available, are legal judgments.
The drafting stays with counsel
This lane does not draft family-law documents. Whether to file, what to seek, and how to frame a child's best interest are decisions for you and a licensed Texas attorney. The State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral & Information Service (texasbar.com, 1-800-252-9690) and your local legal-aid office can help; many family matters qualify for legal aid.