Divorce lawyers in Dallas

Family Code §6.301 sets the residency test: at filing, either spouse must have been domiciled in Texas for the preceding six months and a resident of the filing county for the preceding 90 days. The 60-day waiting period runs from filing, with exceptions in certain family violence cases. Texas allows no-fault divorce when the marriage has become insupportable, so a case doesn't have to prove wrongdoing to proceed.

Dallas County civil and family cases are filed with the Dallas County District Clerk, whose civil, family and juvenile section is in the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building at 600 Commerce Street, Suite 103. If you or your spouse recently moved here from another county, the 90-day rule may decide where the case can be filed. These rules are a starting point only; confirm how they apply to your situation with a licensed Texas lawyer.

Dallas-Fort Worth private practitioners reported a 2025 median of $388 an hour in the State Bar of Texas survey, second only to Austin at $398 and above the statewide $368. Those medians cover all practice areas, so they aren't divorce-specific. Ask each Dallas lawyer for the hourly rate, the retainer and what happens when the retainer runs out.

A lower-cost first step is the Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, which refers callers to a Dallas-area attorney for a 30-minute consultation for a $20 fee; fees after that are negotiated with the lawyer. The State Bar's own referral service, (800) 252-9690, also offers a consultation of up to 30 minutes for no more than $20. TexasLawHelp.org has free self-help guides and forms. More on fees is in the Texas lawyer guide.

• Find the license. The State Bar of Texas 'Find a Lawyer' directory lists every licensed Texas attorney and filters by board certification, languages and fee options.
• Look at discipline. The same lookup shows a lawyer's disciplinary history, and the Bar publishes recent actions and an Ineligible Attorney List.
• Read 'Board Certified' carefully. A Texas lawyer may use the phrase only if certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization or an organization it accredits. Family Law is one of the certified areas.
• Know the complaint route. Grievances go on the State Bar's current form, effective October 1, 2025, and can be filed online. The Client Security Fund can repay clients whose lawyer stole money or kept an unearned fee, generally after a grievance finds that happened.

No lawyer can promise an outcome, and Texas ethics rules generally bar lawyers from soliciting new clients in person or by live phone call. A lawyer who calls you uninvited is a reason to check the State Bar record before you go further.

When the family home is part of the case, the Dallas Central Appraisal District values it as of January 1 each year, and that appraisal isn't the same as a sale price. If a sale is likely, the Dallas real estate page covers how Texas listings and contracts work. The Dallas guide lists other county offices, and Irving lawyers are another option nearby. Treat all of this as general information and confirm property questions with a licensed Texas lawyer.