Texas Original Petition for Divorce

The Original Petition for Divorce is the document that starts a Texas divorce case. It identifies the spouses, the court, the grounds for divorce, residency facts, and the relief being requested.

Not legal advice. DivorceReady.online is a document preparation service, not a law firm. This page is general information about Texas family law concepts and does not apply to your specific situation. For advice about your rights, consult a licensed Texas family law attorney.

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Texas Authority & Review Notes

This page is maintained for self-represented uncontested divorce filers and is checked against official court, clerk, and e-filing resources where available.

Last reviewed

August 31, 2026

Next scheduled check: November 29, 2026

Reviewed by

DivorceReady Editorial Review Team

Editorial QC, source checks, and product-language review.

Attorney review

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Attorney-review structure prepared; no attorney reviewer is currently assigned.

What DivorceReady Prepares

  • Texas divorce petition, complaint, or dissolution starter documents based on the selected package.
  • Service, waiver, acceptance, or notice documents where those documents are part of the self-represented filing path.
  • Settlement, final decree, parenting, name restoration, and filing checklist materials when the user selects an eligible package.

What Users Must File/Pay Separately

  • File the signed document packet with the Texas court, clerk, or approved e-filing portal after purchase and review.
  • Pay court filing fees, service fees, certified copies, and e-filing provider fees directly to the court, clerk, sheriff/constable, process server, or filing vendor.
  • Confirm local clerk instructions, signatures, notarization, service, hearing, and final-decree procedures before filing.

DivorceReady.online is a self-help document preparation service. We are not a law firm, do not provide legal advice, do not represent customers in court, and are not affiliated with any court. Customers are responsible for reviewing, signing, filing, serving, and paying all court or provider fees required by their filing office.

What the Petition Does

The petition opens the court case and tells the court what type of divorce is being requested. For an agreed, uncontested divorce, the petition is usually focused on basic case information, no-fault grounds, residency, children if any, property and debt, and whether a former name should be restored.

Information Usually Needed

Before preparing the petition, gather names, current addresses, marriage date, separation details if known, county of filing, children information if applicable, and whether the respondent is expected to sign a Waiver of Service.

  • •Petitioner and respondent names and contact details
  • •County where the case will be filed
  • •Texas residency and county residency information
  • •Marriage date and place of marriage
  • •Children of the marriage, if any
  • •Property, debt, and requested name restoration details

Residency and No-Fault Ground

Texas generally requires one spouse to meet the Texas six-month and county 90-day residency rules before filing. Many uncontested petitions use the no-fault ground of insupportability, which means the marriage cannot continue because of conflict or discord.

How DivorceReady Helps

DivorceReady collects the information needed for a Texas uncontested petition and keeps the details consistent across the rest of the packet, including the waiver, decree, checklist, and child-related paperwork if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I file the Original Petition first?

Yes. The Original Petition for Divorce is generally the first document filed to open the Texas divorce case.

Does my spouse have to sign the petition?

No. The petitioner signs the petition. In an uncontested case, the respondent commonly signs a separate Waiver of Service or agreed final documents.

Does DivorceReady file the petition for me?

No. DivorceReady prepares the document package and filing instructions. You file the petition with the court yourself as a self-represented filer.

Official Texas Sources

These references are provided for self-represented filers. DivorceReady is not affiliated with these organizations.

Texas Divorce Resource Center

Explore related Texas divorce guides, filing requirements, and local county resources.

DivorceReady.online is a document preparation service, not a law firm, and does not provide legal advice.

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DivorceReady.online is a document preparation service, not a law firm. We do not provide legal advice. Contact: contact@divorceready.online