Getting divorced in Tarrant County? These 10 Fort Worth firms handle the high-conflict and the high-net-worth cases.
Tarrant County divorces are filed in one of the family district courts at the Tom Vandergriff Civil Courts Building. Texas requires a minimum 60-day waiting period from filing to final decree. Texas is a community-property state — everything earned during marriage is presumed jointly owned and divided in a 'just and right' manner (not necessarily 50/50). Standard custody orders follow the Standard Possession Order unless the parties agree or the judge orders otherwise.
Fort Worth divorce work is its own bar. The Tarrant County family judges — 231st, 233rd, 322nd, 324th, 325th, 360th — each have their own temperament on custody, business valuation, and discovery sanctions. A lawyer who practices in front of all of them every week knows which judge will move what kind of case.
Below are 10 of the most respected Fort Worth divorce and family law firms — from board-certified family law specialists to collaborative-law-only boutiques to high-volume practices with statewide reach.
How we picked these 10: We reviewed published verdicts and settlements, peer rankings (Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Avvo, Martindale-Hubbell, Justia), client review patterns, and state bar specialty certifications. Firms that appeared consistently across at least two independent sources made the list. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not write sponsored reviews. More on our methodology →
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, complex property division, modifications
Justin Sisemore is selected as a top Fort Worth divorce lawyer in multiple directories. Known for a no-nonsense courtroom style and direct client communication. Strong on contested-custody and complex-property cases.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, modifications, collaborative law
Barbara D. Nunneley is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. The firm has been providing family law representation in Tarrant County since 1980. Strong on collaborative law and high-conflict custody cases.
Practice focus: Divorce, child custody, modifications, enforcement
David W. Wynne has practiced divorce and child custody law since 1996 and helped over 3,000 clients. Selected as a top Fort Worth divorce lawyer in multiple independent rankings. Direct attorney access on every case.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, collaborative law, mediation
Gregory L. Housewirth is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Skilled trial lawyer, mediator, and collaborative attorney. Useful when you want a lawyer who can pick the right process for the conflict level.
Practice focus: Collaborative divorce, mediation, custody, property division
Richard Price has practiced family law for over 40 years and is a Board-Certified Specialist in Family Law. The firm focuses on Collaborative Law. A divorce process that keeps cases out of court when both parties commit to settlement.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, property division, modifications
Kevin Clark has extensive experience in Tarrant County family courts and federal courts (for the SCRA military divorce overlap that comes with the Naval Air Station JRB and surrounding bases). Strong on military and high-asset cases.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, complex property, appellate family law
Fort Worth divorce and family lawyers with 155+ years of combined experience. Boutique focused on knowledgeable, professional family law representation. Multiple Board-Certified Family Law Specialists on staff.
Practice focus: High-net-worth divorce, business valuation, complex property division
Fort Worth's oldest large law firm. The family law group handles high-net-worth divorces, business interests, and trust-and-estate overlap. Useful when the marital estate is large or includes private company shares.
Practice focus: Complex divorce, business valuation, trust and estate planning crossover
One of Fort Worth's largest firms. Family law group is small but selective. Typically takes complex high-asset divorces where business valuation, oil and gas interests, or trust structures are in play.
Practice focus: Divorce, custody, collaborative law, mediation, modifications
Statewide Texas family law firm with a dedicated Fort Worth office. Multiple Board-Certified Family Law Specialists. Strong on collaborative and mediated divorces as well as contested trials.
Tell us about your situation and we will match you with vetted divorce attorneys in Fort Worth. Free, confidential, no obligation.
An uncontested Tarrant County divorce can be final 61 days after filing (Texas requires a 60-day cooling-off period). A typical contested divorce. With custody, property, and discovery disputes. Runs 9 to 18 months. High-asset divorces with business valuations, oil-and-gas interests, or trust litigation can run 2 to 3 years. Temporary orders hearings happen within 30 to 60 days of filing. Mediation is required in most Tarrant County family courts before final trial.
Tarrant County divorce fees: most Fort Worth family law attorneys charge $300-$500 per hour, with board-certified specialists at the high end. A simple uncontested divorce typically runs $1,500-$5,000 flat. A standard contested divorce runs $10,000-$40,000 in fees, with both sides usually starting with a $5,000-$10,000 retainer. High-conflict custody fights and high-asset divorces routinely run $50,000-$250,000+ per side. Collaborative law often costs 30-50% less than full litigation because mediators and joint experts replace dueling attorneys.
Fort Worth has hundreds of attorneys advertising for divorce cases. Most are competent. A few are problematic. The patterns to avoid:
Guaranteed outcomes. No ethical attorney can guarantee a result. If a firm promises a specific recovery, dismissal, or court outcome, walk away.
The disappearing partner. You meet a senior partner at intake, then never speak to them again. The case is handled by an unsupervised junior or paralegal. Ask in writing who will be your day-to-day attorney.
Pressure to sign immediately. Reputable firms give you the retainer agreement in writing, time to read it, and the option to take it home. High-pressure intake is almost always a sign of a volume mill, not a craftsperson's practice.
No verifiable track record. The firm should be able to point to verdicts, settlements, peer rankings, or bar association recognition. "We have helped thousands of clients" is marketing copy. Specific numbers, named cases, and third-party rankings are evidence.
Vague fee terms. "Do not worry about cost" is a red flag. Every legitimate Fort Worth lawyer will give you a written engagement letter with the fee structure, what is covered, what triggers extra charges, and what happens if you fire them.
Most Fort Worth firms on this list offer a free or low-cost initial consultation. Use it. Bring a list of questions and write down the answers. Compare across at least two firms before you sign.
Fort Worth is its own market. The procedure, the local statutes, and the strategy are city- and state-specific in ways that matter to your outcome.
Texas is community property. Everything earned during marriage is presumed jointly owned. Separate property (owned before marriage or received by gift/inheritance) is yours alone. But only if you can trace it. Bad tracing turns separate property into community property.
Tarrant County family judges run different courtrooms. Each of the seven family district courts has its own preference on custody schedules, geographic restrictions, and discovery sanctions. A local lawyer maps strategy to the assigned judge.
Standard Possession Order is the default custody schedule. Texas Family Code 153.252-153.317 sets the SPO: 1st, 3rd, and 5th weekends, alternating holidays, and 30 days in summer for the non-primary parent. Anything else has to be agreed to or ordered after a contested hearing.
Mediation is required. Almost every Tarrant County family judge orders mediation before a contested final trial. Picking a strong mediator (often a former family court judge) is a real strategic decision.
Uncontested: 61 days minimum (Texas requires a 60-day waiting period from filing). Contested: 9-18 months on average. High-conflict or high-asset: 2-3 years.
Texas is a community property state but not a strict 50/50 state. Judges divide community property in a 'just and right' manner. They can award more to one spouse based on fault, earning capacity, custody, fraud on the community, or other factors.
Texas calls it 'spousal maintenance' and has narrow eligibility under Family Code 8.051. Generally available if the marriage lasted 10+ years and the requesting spouse lacks earning capacity, or if there was family violence. Maximum is the lesser of $5,000/month or 20% of the obligor's gross monthly income. Caps at 5-7 years for most cases.
Texas Family Code 154.125 uses a percentage of the obligor's net resources: 20% for one child, 25% for two, 30% for three, 35% for four, 40% for five+, with a cap at $9,200/month in net resources (which produces $1,840/month for one child).
Both spouses and their lawyers sign an agreement to settle the case without going to court. If either side files a contested motion, both lawyers must withdraw. Joint experts (financial neutral, child specialist) replace dueling experts. It is often faster and cheaper for cases where both parties can negotiate in good faith.
Most offer a free initial 30-minute call to screen the case. Some charge $100-$300 for a full consultation, credited toward the retainer if you hire them. Board-certified specialists often charge for the initial meeting because they bring substantive analysis to it.