Alvin, TX Divorce Law Firms & Lawyers

Most states require that you live in the state and county for a certain amount of time before you file for divorce. You have to check the laws in the state where you live.

Because you have a signficant amount of separate property, it would be a good idea to get an attorney to protect your rights. In Texas, all property is presumed to be community property during a divorce, unless that property was obtained by gift, devise or descent and unless it was obtained before the marriage. You would need to produce paperwork showing when you bought your house and cars. You would also need to show when your 401K started and how much it increased in valude during the marriage. Your spouse would be entitled to half of the growth during the marriage, but sometimes, there is no growth or it's so mimimal that the other spouse decides not to go through the trouble and expense of getting their share. Again, the best way to protect your rights is to get an attorney to represent you.

In Texas a spouse can divorce their spouse without a cause. Texas is a no fault state. If you have children with her, you need to file for divorce where you live quickly to prevent your wife from filing where ever she moved to and forcing you to defend yourself there. The same could also be said even if you do not have kids together, since it is easier and less costly for you to deal with a lawsuit close to where you live rather than where she lives.