​Does Legal Separation Exist in Texas?

Texas does not have legal separation.  However, a spouse can file for divorce and separate from their spouse, but not necessarily in that order.  Many clients come in conflicted about filing for divorce.  One option for couples that are on the brink of divorce, is to file for divorce, but still choose to work on their marriage by consulting a pastor or a Licensed Professional Counselor. 

Once a divorce is filed, the parties can attend a court hearing to determine: 1) how to handle visitation with the children; 2) who will pay specific bills; 3) who will live in the marital home and drive which vehicle; and 4) who will pay child support and anything else that needs to be dealt with immediately.  The first hearing is TEMPORARY and once those issues have been resolved, the parties can concentrate on trying to repair their marriage.  Having paramaters in place of how to handle money and custody issues (your Temporary Orders) often times frees up emotional space to actually work on the marriage!  I am happy to say that I have had many clients over the years dismiss their divorce proceedings and decide to stay married.  Unfortuantely, that does not always happen and if it doesn't then we  proceed with finalizing their divorce.