In Texas, there is a mandatory,
60-day waiting period from the date a divorce is filed before it can be
finalized, but most cases take longer than that to finish. This is because it is often necessary to
gather significant financial and child related information before the parties
can begin negotiations or go to trial.
In the interim period, it is not uncommon for the parties to have
Temporary Orders that establish rules for conduct while the divorce is pending. Temporary Orders usually include allocation
of bills, payment of temporary support, temporary use of property, temporary
child possession and the like. If the
parties cannot agree on these things, a Temporary Orders Hearing will be
conducted early in the case.
Temporary Orders Hearings are
essentially fast-tracked trials and can be one of the most expensive phases in
the divorce process. Sometimes there are
custody issues that cannot be deferred, but in many cases the fight has to do
with finances. For example, common
arguments revolve around who will pay credit card bills and utilities while the
case is pending. In these cases, the
parties risk spending more on a hearing to allocate temporary expenses than it
is really worth, especially since Temporary Orders do not make any final
determinations about dividing property and debts. Consequently, compromises on temporary
matters are preferable whenever possible.
This allows the parties and attorneys to focus their efforts on
finalizing the case as quickly as possible.
If you are contemplating divorce,
get help today by contacting the
Law Office of Jay D. Smith. We will work with you to get you
the best possible outcome. Contact us for by calling 512-340-0002 for legal
help today.
