How to File for a Divorce in Houston, Texas Without a Lawyer
Divorce cases in Houston, Texas, are all filed in the Harris County district court. The court offers an evening court for eligible cases that is held once a month for those who cannot easily attend court during the day.There are residency requirements that you must meet before filing for divorce and a number of forms that you must prepare. If you are unable to hire an attorney, you can prepare and file your own divorce case in Houston.
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Instructions
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Confirm that you meet the residency requirements that allow you to file for divorce in Houston, Texas. You or your spouse must have been a resident of the state of Texas for the past six months and a resident of Harris County for the past 90 days.
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Prepare the petition for divorce and citation. The citation is what informs your spouse that the divorce has been initiated and that the spouse is required to answer the petition. The petition, citation and all other forms required in your specific case can be found on the TexasLawHelp website in the Resources.
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Sign the petition and make several copies of all paperwork. File the paperwork with the clerk of the Harris County district court and pay the required filing fee, which varies depending on factors such as whether there are children involved.
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Serve your spouse with all relevant court documents. Service in Houston, Texas, can be accomplished by the civil sheriff or by a process server. Once the sheriff or process server has filed the affidavit with the court indicating that service has been accomplished, your divorce has officially been started.
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Tips & Warnings
It is always best to consult with an attorney before proceeding pro se whenever possible.
References
Resources
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