Fort Worth divorces run through the Tarrant County Family Law Center in downtown Fort Worth, the dedicated courthouse at 200 East Weatherford Street that sits across the street from the historic 1895 Tarrant County Courthouse. Whether you live in Arlington Heights, the Near Southside, Fairmount, the Cultural District, or out toward Benbrook, your case files with District Clerk Thomas A. Wilder and is assigned to one of six family district courts. A Fort Worth divorce lawyer handles the petition, service, temporary orders, and the final prove-up so you do not have to navigate the Weatherford Street courthouse alone.
Key Facts: Filing for Divorce in Fort Worth, Texas
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| County | Tarrant County |
| Filing court | Tarrant County Family Law Center (231st, 233rd, 322nd, 324th, 325th, 360th District Courts) |
| Court address | 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196 |
| Filing fee | $350 (no children) to $401 (with minor children) |
| Residency requirement | 6 months in Texas + 90 days in Tarrant County |
| Waiting period | 60 days minimum after filing |
| Property model | Community property (just-and-right division) |
How do I file for divorce in Fort Worth, Texas?
You file for divorce in Fort Worth by submitting an Original Petition for Divorce to the Tarrant County District Clerk at the Family Law Center, then paying the $350-$401 filing fee and serving your spouse. After filing, the District Clerk assigns your case to one of six family district courts, and all later documents move through the statewide eFileTexas system.
The practical sequence in Tarrant County looks like this. First, prepare your Original Petition for Divorce, which states the grounds (most Fort Worth filings cite insupportability, the no-fault ground under Texas Family Code § 6.001). Second, file the petition with District Clerk Thomas A. Wilder and pay the fee. Third, arrange service on your spouse, either through a constable, a private process server, or a signed Waiver of Service that avoids the service cost entirely. Cases with agreement between both spouses often finish by submission without a contested hearing, while disputed cases proceed to temporary orders and, eventually, a final trial or mediated settlement. The Family Law Center keeps the Domestic Relations Office on the second floor and the District Clerk's records on the third floor, so most filers interact with all three levels during a typical case.
Where do I file for divorce in Fort Worth? (which courthouse)
Fort Worth residents file at the Tarrant County Family Law Center, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The phone line is (817) 884-1616. This is the only courthouse handling Tarrant County divorces, located in downtown Fort Worth beside the historic county courthouse.
The Family Law Center was built with pink granite and red brick to harmonize with the 1895 courthouse across Weatherford Street, and its modest height keeps the historic dome visible. Inside, the building is organized by function: the first floor houses the IV-D courts that handle Title IV-D child support and paternity matters initiated by the Texas Attorney General, the second floor holds the Family Court Services and Domestic Relations Office, and the third floor contains the District Clerk's records for resolved cases. Every visitor passes through a security checkpoint with metal detectors and x-ray screening; firearms, knives, and pepper spray are strictly prohibited inside the courthouse. Parking is available in downtown lots near Weatherford and Houston Streets, a short walk from the Tarrant County administrative complex.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in Fort Worth?
A Fort Worth divorce lawyer typically charges $250 to $450 per hour, with retainers of $2,500 to $5,000 for contested cases. An uncontested Fort Worth divorce often costs $1,500 to $3,500 in total attorney fees, while a contested case with custody and property disputes commonly runs $8,000 to $20,000 or more, plus the $350-$401 court filing fee.
Several Tarrant County costs add to the attorney's fee. Service of citation by a constable or sheriff runs $75 to $125, while a private process server charges roughly $50 to $150; a signed Waiver of Service eliminates this expense. Certified copies of your Final Decree cost $1 to $5 each, and you will need several for changing your name, updating Social Security records, and dividing retirement accounts through a QDRO. Mediation, which many Tarrant County family judges require before trial, typically costs $300 to $600 per party for a half-day session. To estimate your own range, use the divorce cost estimator and the alimony estimator before your first consultation.
How long does a divorce take in Fort Worth?
A Fort Worth divorce takes a minimum of 60 days from the filing date because Texas Family Code § 6.702 imposes a mandatory 60-day waiting period. Uncontested cases in Tarrant County usually finalize in 60 to 90 days, while contested divorces involving custody, business valuation, or significant property frequently take 6 to 12 months or longer.
The 60-day clock starts the day you file your Original Petition, not the day you serve your spouse. Tarrant County's six family district courts manage active dockets, so the time to a final prove-up hearing depends on court availability and whether both spouses agree. Cases involving documented family violence may have the 60-day period waived under the statute. After the waiting period ends and all issues are resolved, the assigned judge signs the Final Decree of Divorce, which legally ends the marriage. Temporary orders hearings, often held within the first few weeks, set interim rules for the residence, child support, and possession of children while the case is pending. The divorce timeline tool helps you map the stages specific to your situation.
What are the residency requirements to file in Tarrant County?
To file for divorce in Tarrant County, at least one spouse must have lived in Texas for the preceding 6 months and resided in Tarrant County for the preceding 90 days, under Texas Family Code § 6.301. Only one spouse needs to meet both requirements, so you can file in Fort Worth even if your spouse lives in another state.
This residency rule gives the Tarrant County family courts jurisdiction to decide property division, spousal maintenance, and conservatorship. If your spouse lives outside Texas, § 6.302 allows a nonresident spouse to be brought into the Texas proceeding under certain conditions. Texas divides marital property under the community-property standard in § 7.001, which directs courts to make a division that is just and right rather than an automatic 50/50 split. Property acquired during the marriage is presumed community property, while assets owned before marriage or received by gift or inheritance are typically separate property. Child custody, called conservatorship in Texas, follows Chapter 153, which presumes parents should serve as joint managing conservators while keeping the best interest of the child as the controlling standard.
What changed in Texas divorce law for 2025 and 2026?
The 89th Texas Legislature enacted significant Family Code changes effective September 1, 2025, but the core divorce framework that applies in Fort Worth stayed intact. No-fault divorce survived a repeal attempt (House Bill 3401 failed), so insupportability under § 6.001 remains a valid ground, and the 60-day waiting period is unchanged.
Several updates do affect Tarrant County cases. Protective orders issued in divorce matters involving family violence now extend until two years after the final decree is signed. Chapter 3 received refinements clarifying how mixed-character assets, common for Fort Worth business owners and those with large retirement accounts, are characterized as community or separate property. Starting January 1, 2026, custody evaluators must complete at least three hours of training on children with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and courts cannot rely on an evaluator's report in disability-related cases if that training is missing. Child support guideline percentages were unchanged, remaining 20 percent of net resources for one child and 25 percent for two. For child support questions, the child support calculator reflects current Texas guidelines.
Fort Worth covers a large slice of Tarrant County, from downtown and the Stockyards to the TCU area, Wedgwood, and Eagle Mountain Lake, and the same Family Law Center serves all of it. If your situation involves significant assets, a closely held business, or a custody dispute, a Fort Worth divorce lawyer who appears regularly before the 231st through 360th district courts can be the difference between a smooth filing and a prolonged fight.