Board Certified® Fort Worth & Southlake
Fort Worth Divorce Lawyers
100+ years of combined experience including four Board Certified attorneys.
- Complex, high-asset divorce and property division
- Business owner divorce and valuation disputes
- Contested custody and conservatorship
- Trial-ready representation in Tarrant County courts
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At a Glance
At Mims Ballew Hollingsworth, we bring more than 100 years of combined experience to divorce cases across Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Four of our attorneys are Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization .
We handle the full range of divorce matters, including contested and uncontested divorce, high-net-worth property division, business ownership issues, child custody, and spousal maintenance. Whether your case is resolved through negotiation, mediation, or trial, we develop a strategy tailored to your goals.
Recognized by Martindale-Hubbell (AV Preeminent), Super Lawyers, and Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Attorneys, we combine preparation, experience, and practical solutions to guide you forward.
Please call: 817-900-8330.
Meet Our Divorce Attorneys
Every case at Mims Ballew Hollingsworth is handled by attorneys who focus exclusively on family law and collaborate across cases, so you benefit from more than one perspective.
Types of Divorce in Texas
Texas recognizes several types of divorce. Which one applies shapes the timeline, cost, and strategy of your case.
- No-fault divorce: Most Texas divorces are filed on the no-fault ground of insupportability — the marriage has broken down with no reasonable expectation of reconciliation, and neither spouse must prove wrongdoing.
- Fault-based divorce: Texas also allows fault grounds such as cruelty, adultery, or abandonment, which can influence how a court divides property.
- Uncontested divorce: Both spouses agree on every term — property, support, and custody — allowing a faster, lower-cost resolution. See contested vs. uncontested.
- Contested divorce: Spouses disagree on one or more issues, requiring negotiation, mediation, or trial.
- High-net-worth divorce: Involves complex assets — businesses, investments, and significant property — that require careful valuation and division.
Related distinctions: how divorce differs from legal separation and annulment in Texas. Discuss eligibility with a Fort Worth annulment attorney.
Our Approach to Your Divorce
At Mims Ballew Hollingsworth, we understand that every divorce in Fort Worth is as unique as the individuals involved. That’s why we don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we craft customized legal strategies tailored to your specific situation, considering your family dynamics, financial landscape, and your personal goals.
From the initial consultation, you’ll experience our commitment to clear communication and transparency. We’ll keep you thoroughly informed every step of the way, explaining your options in plain language and setting realistic expectations for the Texas divorce process. As our client, we prepare you for what’s ahead — reducing your anxiety and equipping you with the knowledge to make informed decisions. You won’t just be a case number; you’ll be a valued partner.
Divorce Services We Handle
Our Fort Worth divorce attorneys offer a wide range of services, including representation in a high-net-worth divorce. We will fight for you throughout the valuation and division of high-value assets such as privately-held businesses, professional practices, investment accounts, stock options and restricted stock units, retirement accounts and pensions, real estate holdings, intellectual property, digital assets, trusts/inheritances, valuable personal property and collections, and more.
Our divorce lawyers also handle these essential family law services:
- File Petitions for Divorce (uncontested or contested) in accordance with local court requirements
- Handle property division in both fault-based and no-fault divorces
- Negotiate alimony/spousal support in accordance with Texas laws
- Create parenting plans, visitation schedules, and child custody modifications
- Manage the details of military divorce and child custody arrangements for military families in Fort Worth
- Represent clients in LGBTQ+ divorces and other family law matters
- Prove the union and divide property for common law marriages
- Enforce or challenge prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements
No matter the challenges you face during your divorce, Mims Ballew Hollingsworth is here to help you tackle them.
Why Families Across Tarrant County Trust Mims Ballew Hollingsworth
With more than 100 years of combined experience in Tarrant County family law, our attorneys bring deep local knowledge and proven skill to every case. Four of our lawyers are Board Certified® in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization—an honor earned by fewer than 5% of attorneys statewide. Recognized by clients and peers alike, our team has been featured among Super Lawyers, Fort Worth Magazine’s Top Attorneys, and Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent-rated professionals. When you need trusted guidance through life’s most personal legal matters, you can count on our experience, integrity, and results.
What Our Clients Say
Don't just take our word for it - hear directly from the families we've represented in Fort Worth and Tarrant County.
Who We Help
MBH is a strong fit if you’re facing:
Not sure whether your situation calls for legal counsel? A consultation is the fastest way to find out.
Understanding the Texas Divorce Process
Every case is different, but most Texas divorces follow the same basic path:
Texas residency and waiting-period requirements. Before a Tarrant County court can grant your divorce:
- You must have been a Texas resident for at least six months and a Tarrant County resident for at least 90 days.
- At least 60 days must pass after the petition is filed before the divorce can be finalized.
These requirements are set by Texas Family Code § 6.301 and § 6.702. If negotiations break down, a contested divorce may take several months or even years to complete.
How to Choose a Divorce Lawyer
When choosing a divorce lawyer, look for board certification in family law, direct trial experience, and a team structure that doesn't leave your case with a single overloaded attorney. Local experience matters more than firm size. Attorneys who regularly appear before Tarrant County family court judges understand how those courts actually rule, not just what the statute says.
A local divorce lawyer offers three practical advantages over an out-of-area or national firm:
Divorce Mediation and Collaborative Law
At Mims Ballew Hollingsworth, we firmly believe that divorce doesn't have to be a battleground. While we are always prepared to zealously advocate for your rights in court, we believe alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods like divorce mediation and collaborative law to be very efficient and beneficial paths to resolution for our Fort Worth clients.
- Cost savings: Avoiding protracted litigation and associated legal fees.
- Faster resolution: Reaching agreements more quickly than navigating lengthy Fort Worth court dockets.
- Enhanced privacy: Keeping sensitive personal and financial matters out of public records, particularly important for high-profile individuals, those with high assets, and Fort Worth business owners.
- Reduced conflict: Fostering a more amicable environment, which is especially vital for co-parenting relationships.
- Control over the outcome: Allowing you and your spouse to actively shape the terms of your future, rather than a judge imposing a decision.
Our attorneys have extensive experience with mediation and collaborative law in the Fort Worth area and all of Tarrant County, and we can help you find the solution that is right for you.
Content reviewed by a Board Certified family law attorney Constance Mims.
Frequently Asked Questions
Texas law requires a minimum 60-day waiting period after filing. An uncontested divorce may finalize shortly after; a contested divorce can take several months to more than a year, depending on the issues.
Cost depends on whether the divorce is contested and how complex your assets are — uncontested cases cost far less than those that go to trial. Planning your divorce budget.
Complex assets — businesses, retirement accounts, stock options — are easy to undervalue or overlook, and mistakes are hard to undo after the decree. How hidden assets are uncovered.
Yes. Most divorces are granted on the no-fault ground of insupportability, though fault grounds like cruelty or adultery can still affect property division. No-fault divorce in Texas.
You or your spouse must have lived in Texas for at least six months and in the filing county for at least 90 days. You then file an Original Petition for Divorce, formally serve your spouse, and wait through the mandatory 60-day waiting period before the court can finalize the divorce. Contested cases involving property, custody, or business assets typically take longer.
Texas is a community property state, meaning assets and debts acquired during the marriage are generally considered jointly owned. That doesn't guarantee an automatic 50/50 split, though - courts divide community property in whatever way is "just and right," which can favor one spouse based on factors like earning capacity, fault, or child custody.
If the home was purchased during the marriage, it's typically community property and subject to division - by agreement between spouses or, if they can't agree, by the court. If one spouse owned the home before marriage or received it as a gift or inheritance, it may be separate property, though any increase in value during the marriage can still be treated as community property. Courts also weigh whether children are involved and who can best maintain their stability.
Separate property generally isn't subject to division in Texas - this includes anything you owned before the marriage, gifts made to you individually, inheritances, and personal injury settlements for pain and suffering. The catch: separate property can lose its protected status if it's commingled with marital assets, so how you manage these assets during the marriage matters as much as how you acquired them.
Keep inherited funds in a separate account, never deposit them into a joint account, and avoid using them for shared household expenses - any of that can convert an inheritance into community property through commingling. Prenuptial or postnuptial agreements, and placing inherited assets in a trust, add further protection. Clear documentation (titles, deeds, account records) is essential if the inheritance is ever challenged.
Adultery isn't a criminal offense in Texas, but it can affect your divorce outcome. If you can prove your spouse's infidelity with clear evidence, a court may award you a larger share of the marital estate, particularly if marital funds were spent on the affair. Adultery generally doesn't affect custody directly unless it exposed a child to harm, but it can factor into property division and spousal maintenance.
If your prenuptial agreement is valid - signed voluntarily, in writing, with full disclosure of both spouses' assets and debts - Texas courts will generally enforce its terms for property division and spousal support. A prenup cannot decide child custody or child support in advance, since those must be based on the child's best interests at the time of the divorce, not predicted years earlier.
In most Texas divorces, each spouse pays their own attorney's fees. Fault-based grounds - like proven adultery, cruelty, or family violence - can sometimes lead a court to award the wronged spouse more favorable overall terms, but that doesn't automatically mean the other spouse pays your legal bills.
Before filing anything, focus on organizing your financial picture - gather records like tax returns, bank and retirement statements, and documentation of separate property such as inheritances. Consulting an attorney early, even before filing, helps you understand your rights and avoid missteps that are hard to undo later. This matters even more in high-asset or business-owner situations.
Ask about their experience with cases like yours - particularly if it involves a business, significant assets, or contested custody. Ask how they communicate and who on the team handles your case day to day, how they approach negotiation versus litigation, and what will drive the cost and timeline of your specific situation.
"Gray divorce" refers to couples divorcing later in life, often after 10, 20, or more years of marriage. These cases tend to involve a more complex marital estate - retirement accounts, real estate, and business interests built up over decades - and spousal maintenance is more likely to be a factor, since Texas allows for spousal maintenance in marriages lasting 10+ years where a spouse can't meet their own needs.
You're not legally required to hire one, but divorce involves binding decisions about your property, finances, and children that are difficult to undo once the decree is signed. An attorney protects your rights and helps you avoid costly mistakes - especially in contested, high-asset, or business-owner divorces.
Prioritize board certification and experience with cases like yours, particularly if your divorce involves a business, high-value assets, or a likely custody dispute. Ask how the firm communicates, whether attorneys collaborate on complex cases or work solo, and whether they're equally comfortable negotiating a settlement or taking your case to trial.
The right divorce attorney in Fort Worth depends on your case - for high-asset, business-owner, or contested matters, look for board certification in family law, courtroom trial experience, and a track record in Tarrant County courts. Mims Ballew Hollingsworth has four Board Certified family law attorneys with more than 100 years of combined experience handling exactly these cases.
