Getting divorced in Dallas means filing in one of the seven family district courts housed at the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building downtown, then waiting at least 60 days before a judge can sign your decree. If you live in Oak Cliff, Lakewood, Uptown, Pleasant Grove, or anywhere else inside the city limits, your case runs through the Dallas County District Clerk's office under Felicia Pitre. This page covers exactly where to file, what it costs, how long it takes, and what a Dallas divorce lawyer charges in 2026.
Dallas sits entirely within Dallas County, so residency and venue are governed by Dallas County rules even though parts of the city technically extend into Collin, Denton, Rockwall, and Kaufman counties. The overwhelming majority of Dallas residents file at the George Allen courthouse. Texas is a no-fault, community property state, which shapes both how you end the marriage and how a judge divides what you own.
Dallas Divorce: Key Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| County | Dallas County |
| Filing court | Dallas County District Clerk — George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building |
| Court address | 600 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202 |
| Filing fee | ~$350 (Original Petition for Divorce) |
| Residency requirement | 6 months in Texas + 90 days in Dallas County |
| Waiting period | 60 days minimum (decree no earlier than day 61) |
| Property model | Community property ("just and right" division) |
How do I file for divorce in Dallas, Texas?
To file for divorce in Dallas you submit an Original Petition for Divorce to the Dallas County District Clerk and pay roughly $350. As of 2024, Dallas County divorces are filed electronically through the Texas eFile system rather than in person, and attorneys are required to e-file in the district courts. The petition names both spouses, states the ground (usually insupportability under Texas Family Code § 6.001), and lays out your requests on property, support, and children.
After filing, you must give your spouse legal notice. This is done by serving the petition through a constable, sheriff, or private process server, or by having your spouse sign a Waiver of Service. The case is then assigned to one of seven Dallas family district courts: the 254th, 255th, 256th, 301st, 302nd, 303rd, or 330th District Court, all at 600 Commerce Street. An uncontested case with a signed waiver and full agreement is the fastest route; a contested case triggers temporary orders, discovery, and potentially mediation before trial.
Where do I file for divorce in Dallas? (which courthouse)
Dallas residents file with the Dallas County District Clerk at the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202. The Civil & Family Records counter sits on the Basement "B" Floor West, and the clerk's office is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. for lunch. The phone number is (214) 653-7307.
The George Allen building is two blocks from Dealey Plaza and the Sixth Floor Museum, near the western edge of downtown. Although filing is now electronic, you may still visit this counter to request certified copies of family court records or pay in person by cash, check, money order, Visa, or MasterCard. Not every court in Dallas County hears divorce cases, so filing into the family district court system through the District Clerk (not the County Clerk) matters. The District Clerk's staff can tell you what to file and the fees, but by law they cannot give legal advice on your specific situation.
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in Dallas?
A Dallas divorce lawyer generally charges $250 to $450 per hour, with most family law attorneys requiring an upfront retainer of $2,500 to $5,000. An uncontested, agreed divorce handled flat-fee often runs $1,500 to $3,500 in attorney costs, while a contested divorce involving custody disputes, business valuations, or hidden assets commonly reaches $15,000 to $30,000 or more.
Those figures sit on top of the court filing fee of roughly $350 and service-of-process costs of $75 to $150. The biggest cost driver is conflict: every contested hearing, deposition, and mediation session adds billable hours. To estimate your total exposure, use the Divorce Cost Estimator. If money is the barrier to filing rather than to hiring counsel, Texas lets you submit a Statement of Inability to Afford Payment of Court Costs, and Dallas judges routinely waive the filing fee for petitioners who genuinely cannot pay. Costs also fall sharply when both spouses agree on the major terms before anyone lawyers up.
How long does a divorce take in Dallas?
A Dallas divorce takes a minimum of 61 days because of the mandatory 60-day waiting period under Texas Family Code § 6.702, but the realistic timeline is far longer for most cases. The clock starts the day after your petition is filed, not when your spouse is served. A judge cannot sign the Final Decree until at least the 61st day, even when both spouses agree on everything.
Uncontested Dallas divorces with no children and a signed waiver typically finalize in 60 to 90 days. Contested cases involving custody, property fights, or a business commonly run 8 to 18 months as they move through temporary orders, discovery, and mediation. Dallas County family courts now allow many uncontested prove-up hearings via Zoom, which can shave weeks off the final step. The only exception to the 60-day rule is a case involving family violence, where the court may waive the waiting period entirely to protect a spouse. Use the Divorce Timeline tool to map your projected dates.
What are the residency requirements to file in Dallas County?
To file for divorce in Dallas County, one spouse must have lived in Texas for at least 6 months and in Dallas County for at least 90 days immediately before filing. These dual requirements come from the Texas Family Code venue rules and apply regardless of where the marriage occurred. If you recently moved to Dallas, you may need to wait until you meet the 90-day county threshold.
Military members stationed in Texas and Texans temporarily living elsewhere can often still satisfy residency through specific statutory provisions. If your spouse lives in Dallas County but you do not, you may still be able to file here. Getting venue right at the start prevents a dismissal or transfer that can cost months. When both spouses live in different Texas counties, the petitioner generally files where they meet the 90-day rule.
How is property divided in a Dallas divorce?
Texas is a community property state, so a Dallas judge divides everything acquired during the marriage in a manner that is "just and right" under Texas Family Code § 7.001. This is not an automatic 50/50 split. Courts weigh fault in the breakup, each spouse's earning capacity, health, and the needs of any children, producing divisions that can land at 50/50, 60/40, or further apart.
Property you owned before marriage, plus gifts and inheritances received during it, count as separate property and stay with you, but Texas law presumes everything you own at divorce is community property unless you prove otherwise. That burden of proof falls on the spouse claiming an asset is separate. Proven fault grounds such as adultery or cruelty under §§ 6.002-6.005 can shift the award toward the innocent spouse, sometimes to 55%-65% of the community estate. The Property Division tool can help you inventory and categorize assets before mediation.
Child custody and support in Dallas
In Texas, custody is called conservatorship, and Dallas courts decide it under the best-interest standard in Texas Family Code § 153.002. Judges presume that appointing both parents as joint managing conservators serves the child, with one parent typically designated to set the primary residence. Effective September 1, 2025, the 89th Texas Legislature expanded the Standard Possession Order so noncustodial parents living within 50 miles now receive roughly 46-48% of parenting time, up from the older 20-24% baseline.
That same 2025 reform raised the child support cap, lifting the maximum net monthly resources used in the guideline calculation from $9,200 to $11,700. These changes apply to all Dallas County divorces filed or pending after September 1, 2025. Child support in Texas follows a percentage-of-income formula: 20% of net resources for one child, 25% for two, scaling upward. Estimate your number with the Child Support Calculator and projected spousal payments with the Alimony Estimator.
Getting help with your Dallas divorce
Whether your divorce is amicable or contested, the path runs through the George Allen courthouse and the 60-day clock applies to everyone. An uncontested case with agreement on property and children is the cheapest and fastest route. The moment custody, a house, retirement accounts, or a business is genuinely in dispute, the value of an experienced Dallas family law attorney climbs quickly, because a single mistake on characterizing community versus separate property can cost far more than the legal fees. Before your first consultation, gather your financial records, a rough asset inventory, and a clear sense of your goals for the children.