Southlake Divorce Attorney

Southlake Town Square in Southlake, Texas - CoilLaw represents Southlake families in divorce and family law matters

By Jill Coil, Founder and Family Law Attorney, State Bar of Texas

Quick answer: Southlake sits in Tarrant County, so divorces are heard at the Tarrant County Family Law Center, 200 East Weatherford Street in Fort Worth. Small portions of the city extend into Denton County. One spouse must have lived in Texas six months and in the filing county 90 days before filing, and Texas requires a 60-day waiting period before a divorce is final.

Southlake has one of the highest median household incomes in Texas, and a Southlake divorce attorney is usually dealing less with whether property gets divided than with what it is actually worth. Executive compensation from the corporate campuses along State Highway 114, closely held businesses, and homes that have appreciated sharply all have to be characterised and valued before anything can be split. CoilLaw represents Southlake and Westlake families in divorce, custody and complex property division under the Texas Family Code.

Filing a Southlake Divorce

Where it is heard. Tarrant County concentrates its family docket at the Family Law Center in downtown Fort Worth, where the family district courts sit alongside the child support courts. The judges there hear family matters exclusively.
The county-line question. Most of Southlake is in Tarrant County, but the city touches Denton County at its northern edge. Neighbouring Westlake straddles Tarrant and Denton as well. We confirm the county from your property record before filing.
Residency. Six months in Texas and 90 days in the filing county.
The waiting period. Sixty days minimum from filing to final decree, however complete your agreement.
Standing orders. Tarrant County standing orders take effect at filing and restrict what either spouse may do with assets, insurance and the children while the case is pending.

What Southlake Cases Usually Involve

Equity compensation. Restricted stock units, options and deferred compensation are common in Southlake households. Whether a grant is community or separate property depends on when it was awarded and when it vests, and the plan documents rather than a summary statement are what settle the question. Getting this right is frequently worth more than every other issue in the case combined.

The house. Southlake home values have risen steeply, which makes buyouts larger than most people anticipate. Keeping the home usually means refinancing in your own name or trading other assets for it, and it is worth modelling the numbers before deciding to fight for it.

Carroll ISD. Schools are a significant part of why families move here, and a standard geographic restriction to Tarrant County and its neighbours is wide enough to permit a move well outside the district. If staying in Carroll ISD matters, the custody order has to say so.

How We Help Southlake Families

Contested and uncontested divorce in the Fort Worth family courts.
Complex property division, including business interests, equity awards and investment property.
Custody and conservatorship, with geographic restrictions drawn around the school district where that is what matters.
Child support where income is bonus-driven or variable rather than a flat salary.
High-net-worth divorce. See our Dallas high-net-worth divorce practice.
Mediation and collaborative divorce, which keep financial detail out of the public record.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Southlake in Tarrant County or Denton County?

Mostly Tarrant County, which means your case is heard at the Family Law Center in Fort Worth. A small northern portion of the city reaches into Denton County, and neighbouring Westlake spans both, so we confirm the county from the property record rather than the mailing address before filing.

How are restricted stock units divided in a Texas divorce?

By reference to when the award was granted and when it vests. Grants earned through work performed during the marriage are generally community property, while portions attributable to work before the marriage or after divorce may be separate. Texas courts apply several accepted formulas, and which one applies can change the number substantially.

Will a custody order keep my children in Carroll ISD?

Not automatically. Most Tarrant County orders restrict the children’s primary residence to the county and those adjoining it, which permits a move far outside Carroll ISD. Keeping the children in the district requires a narrower restriction negotiated into the order.

Do you serve Westlake as well?

Yes. Westlake is small and adjoins Southlake, spanning Tarrant and Denton counties, and the cases look much the same: closely held business interests, executive compensation and substantial home equity. Which county hears the case depends on your address.

How long does a Southlake divorce take?

Texas requires a minimum 60-day waiting period from filing. An agreed divorce is usually final in about 60 to 90 days. A contested case involving business valuation or disputed custody commonly runs six months to more than a year, depending on the Tarrant County docket.

Can we avoid a public trial?

Usually. Most Texas divorces settle through negotiation or mediation, which is both cheaper and far more private than a contested trial. We prepare every case as though it will be tried, because that preparation is what makes a favourable settlement possible.

Nearby Areas We Serve

Dallas–Fort Worth divorce lawyer · Tarrant County divorce lawyer · Dallas high-net-worth divorce · Keller · Fort Worth · Colleyville

Talk to a Southlake Divorce Attorney Today

Call 469-552-5992 or request a consultation online. CoilLaw, 100 Crescent Court, Suite 0429, Dallas, TX 75201.

This page is for general information and is not legal advice. Every case is different. For advice about your specific situation, speak with a licensed Texas attorney.