If you are thinking about divorce in Texas, you are probably asking one question before all the others: how long is this going to take, and what will I have to go through? When your future feels uncertain, it is hard to make decisions about your home, your kids, your job, or your finances. You want clear answers about Texas divorce timelines and what the process actually looks like, not vague reassurances or worst-case horror stories.
We work with people every day in Frisco and across North Texas who feel exactly that mix of urgency and confusion. Texas law creates some firm rules, like a 60-day waiting period, but beyond that, the path and timing depend on your situation, your spouse, and the court. Once you see the stages laid out clearly, you can start planning and stop guessing.
At Pfister Family Law, our practice focuses on Texas family law, and our founding attorney, John Pfister, is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by only a small percentage of lawyers in the state. We use that depth of experience to guide clients through the Texas divorce process in Collin, Denton, and surrounding counties with as much efficiency and clarity as the system allows. In this guide, we will walk through each stage of a Texas divorce, how long it commonly takes, and what you can do to keep your case moving.
Contact our trusted family lawyer in Fisco at (972) 370-5172 to schedule a confidential consultation.
How Texas Law Shapes Your Divorce Timeline
Every Texas divorce timeline starts with a few nonnegotiable rules set by the Texas Family Code. The first is residency. To file for divorce in Texas, at least one spouse must have lived in the state for at least six months and in the county where you file for at least 90 days. If you or your spouse have recently moved to Collin County, Denton County, or another North Texas county, you may have to wait until you meet those minimums before you can even start the case.
The second rule is the 60-day waiting period. In most cases, a Texas court cannot grant a divorce until at least 60 days have passed from the date the Original Petition for Divorce is filed. Those 60 days are a legal minimum, not a promise that your divorce will be final on day 61. It exists in part to discourage impulsive filings and to give both spouses time to address temporary arrangements and begin working through the issues that need to be resolved.
In simple, agreed cases, it is possible to finish not long after that 60-day mark, especially if there are no children and limited property, and both spouses sign all necessary paperwork early. For example, a couple with no minor children and only a house and a few accounts may be able to present an agreed final decree soon after the waiting period ends, if everything is ready. On the other hand, if you are dealing with contested custody, a family business, or a serious conflict, it is common for cases in North Texas to run many months or longer because the court has to hear evidence and make decisions step by step. Our job is to take these fixed rules and build a realistic timeline around them for your specific facts.
From Filing to Service: The First Steps That Start the Clock
The first formal step in a Texas divorce is filing the Original Petition for Divorce. This is the document that opens the case with the court and briefly tells the judge what you are asking for, such as divorce on no-fault grounds, a parenting plan for minor children, and a fair division of property. Before we file, we usually spend time gathering basic information about your marriage, your children, your property, and any immediate concerns so the petition is accurate and tailored to your situation.
Once the petition is filed, the other spouse must be formally notified. Texas law generally requires that a process server or constable deliver the papers, which is called service of process. In agreed or low-conflict cases, your spouse can sign a waiver of service that acknowledges receipt of the papers without requiring formal service. That simple step can avoid embarrassment and save several days or weeks if tracking your spouse down would otherwise be difficult. In higher conflict matters or when safety is an issue, we plan service more carefully and build that into the expected timeline.
After being served, your spouse typically has until the Monday after 20 days to file what is called an answer. If they do not respond, you may be able to pursue a default divorce, but even then, courts in Collin County, Denton County, and nearby jurisdictions often want to be sure the nonresponding spouse had a fair chance to participate. Defaults can involve extra hearings and sometimes more delay, especially if a judge is concerned about children or significant property. In many cases, a timely answer actually helps keep the case on track, because both sides can start working through the next stages instead of getting bogged down in notice issues.
Temporary Orders and Early Hearings That Shape Day-to-Day Life
The period right after filing is when clients usually feel the most pressure. You may be wondering who will stay in the house, how you will afford bills, and what will happen with your children’s schedules. Texas courts address these immediate issues through temporary orders, which are short-term rules that control daily life while the divorce is pending. They can cover where children live, when each parent has time with them, who pays which bills, temporary child support, and temporary spousal support.
In North Texas courts, if there are minor children or significant financial dependence, it is common to have a temporary orders hearing relatively early in the case, often within a few weeks to a couple of months after filing, depending on the court’s calendar. Sometimes the lawyers can work out agreed temporary orders without a full contested hearing, which usually saves time and money. Judges often encourage parents and attorneys to resolve as many temporary issues as possible by agreement so that the court can focus on the truly disputed points.
Preparing for a temporary hearing is often the first major project in your case. We work with clients to pull together basic financial information, such as pay stubs, monthly expenses, and any special needs of the children, as well as a history of each parent’s involvement in childcare. That preparation not only strengthens your position in court, it can also shorten the process because we are not scrambling for documents at the last minute or asking for continuances. Our team appears in temporary hearings regularly in Collin and Denton County family courts, and we use those early orders to stabilize clients’ lives while we address the longer-term issues that will determine the final decree.
Discovery and Information Gathering, Often the Longest Phase
After the initial filings and temporary orders, many cases move into what feels like a slower, more technical phase: discovery. Discovery is simply the process where each side exchanges information and documents, so there are no surprises about income, assets, debts, and other issues that matter for property division and support. In practical terms, that can include required disclosures, written questions called interrogatories, and requests for financial documents such as tax returns, bank statements, and business records.
This stage can be one of the biggest drivers of Texas divorce timelines. When both spouses have straightforward jobs, a house, and a few accounts, and everyone cooperates, discovery might take a few months. When there are multiple properties, closely held businesses, investment accounts, or disputes over whether something is separate or community property, discovery can easily stretch much longer. Valuing a business or real estate may require appraisers or other professionals, and their work and schedules must be built into the timeline.
Delays in discovery usually occur when documents are not gathered promptly, when parties fight over what must be produced, or when new information surfaces late, forcing everyone to backtrack. We try to avoid those problems by helping clients gather key documents early, often before formal discovery even begins. Because Pfister Family Law regularly handles complex property division and high-conflict divorces, we know where discovery often bogs down in North Texas cases. We plan for those pressure points, which can shorten the time between filing and being ready for serious settlement talks or trial.
Mediation and Settlement: When Agreements Can Shorten the Timeline
Most Texas divorce cases resolve through agreement rather than trial, and mediation is a central part of that process. Mediation is a structured negotiation where a neutral mediator, who is often an experienced family law attorney, works with both sides to try to reach a settlement. In many Collin County and Denton County family courts, judges strongly encourage or sometimes require mediation before they will give you a final trial date. Courts have learned that parties who reach their own agreements often follow them better, and this process helps manage crowded dockets.
Mediation usually happens after at least some discovery is complete, because both sides need enough information to make informed decisions about property and parenting arrangements. The timing depends on the complexity of the case and the willingness of both spouses to negotiate. In a relatively straightforward matter, mediation might take place a few months after filing and lead to a mediated settlement agreement that becomes the blueprint for the Final Decree of Divorce. In more involved cases, multiple mediation sessions or late-stage negotiations might be needed, which adds time but often still takes less overall than a full trial.
It is also worth clearing up a common misunderstanding about uncontested divorce. Many people assume that if they want an uncontested divorce, the process will automatically be quick. In reality, cases become uncontested only after both spouses have worked through all the parenting and property issues, often with help from lawyers and mediators. Our role in mediation is to use negotiation skills and strategic preparation to help you reach durable agreements when that is realistic, and to be ready for trial when it is not. Because we focus on efficient, cost-effective solutions that still protect your rights, we approach mediation with a clear plan for what you need to move forward.
Trial Settings and Final Decrees When Cases Do Not Settle
When a case does not settle through negotiation or mediation, the next phase is preparing for trial. A final trial in a Texas divorce is the hearing where the judge hears evidence and arguments, then issues a decision on property division, conservatorship, possession schedules, child support, and any other remaining disputes. The court’s decision is then written up in the Final Decree of Divorce, which becomes the binding court order that ends the marriage and sets the long-term rules.
Getting a trial date is one of the biggest timeline variables that is largely outside your control. Family courts in North Texas manage heavy dockets, and it is common for trial settings to be scheduled several months out once the case is ready. Courts often set multiple cases on the same day. Some cases settle at the last minute, while others go forward, which can mean your trial might not be reached at the first setting and has to be reset. That reality is one reason we push to be as prepared as possible well before the first trial date.
Trials themselves can be as short as a few hours in a limited property case or stretch over several days when there are children, complex finances, or allegations that require extensive testimony. After the judge makes rulings, there is usually a period of time where the attorneys finalize the written Final Decree of Divorce, circulate it for review, and work through any disagreements about the exact language. In some matters, there may be post-trial motions that extend this phase. At Pfister Family Law, we are comfortable taking cases through trial when necessary, and we help clients understand how adding a trial to the path will likely extend their overall timeline compared to cases that settle sooner.
After The Divorce: Tasks That Extend The Practical Timeline
Even when the judge signs the Final Decree of Divorce, there is often a list of follow-up tasks before life truly feels settled. Many of those tasks relate to dividing property in the real world. For example, retirement accounts that were split in the decree usually require additional orders, often called Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs), to actually move funds according to the court’s decision. These orders then have to be approved by the plan administrator, which can take additional weeks or months.
Real estate is another area where the practical timeline can extend beyond the court date. If the decree requires one spouse to refinance the marital home into their own name or orders the sale of the property, the lending process or sales timeline can stretch for several months. Vehicle titles, bank accounts, and beneficiary designations on life insurance and retirement accounts also need to be updated so that ownership and benefits match the decree. Each of these steps involves outside institutions, which means we build some extra time into our planning.
We view the divorce as complete only when both the court order and these real-world changes are in place. Part of our role is drafting a clear decree that outlines who must do what and by when, which reduces confusion and conflict later. We also talk with clients before the decree is final about the specific post-divorce steps they will need to take so they can move through this final phase as quickly and smoothly as possible.
Realistic Timelines and How To Use Them To Plan Your Next Steps
Because every family and every court is different, no lawyer can honestly tell you that your divorce will be finished in a precise number of months. What we can do is give you realistic ranges based on the patterns we see in Frisco and the surrounding areas, then adjust those ranges based on your facts. For example, a relatively simple agreed divorce, with no minor children and limited property, might be ready to finalize shortly after the 60-day waiting period, assuming both spouses are responsive and documents are in order. A moderate case with children and some property questions might take six to nine months. A high-conflict case involving custody disputes or complex assets can take a year or more, especially if a trial is necessary.
There are also clear patterns in what speeds a case up and what drags it out. Cooperation between spouses, realistic expectations, and early organization of financial records tend to shorten timelines. So does addressing emotional and communication issues outside the courtroom, through counseling or other support, so that legal disputes stay focused on concrete issues. On the other hand, hiding assets, ignoring court deadlines, refusing to provide information, or using the process to punish the other spouse usually leads to more hearings, more attorney time, and more months on the calendar.
When we meet with someone for the first time, we ask detailed questions about their children, property, work schedules, and the level of conflict with their spouse. We use that information, combined with our experience in local courts, to sketch out a realistic range for their Texas divorce timeline and identify the key decisions that could shorten or lengthen it. Our strategies are not one size fits all. We tailor our approach to your goals and constraints, always with an eye toward efficient, cost-effective solutions that protect your rights and your long-term future.
Talk With A Texas Family Law Team About Your Divorce Timeline
Facing a divorce in Texas can make every month feel uncertain, especially when you do not know what happens next or how long you will be in limbo. Understanding the main stages of a Texas divorce, from filing and temporary orders through discovery, mediation, trial, and post-decree tasks, turns a vague fear into a concrete plan. You may not be able to control every variable, but you can control how informed and prepared you are at each step.
At Pfister Family Law, we walk clients through this process every day in Frisco and across North Texas, under the guidance of Board Certified family law leadership. In a confidential consultation, we can look at your specific situation, explain which stages are likely to matter most in your case, and outline a realistic timeline and strategy that match your needs, concerns, and goals.
When you are ready to talk about what your Texas divorce might look like in real time, reach out at (972) 370-5172 and we will help you take the next step.
