Family Law Intake 

TRLA receives more requests for help with family law cases than any other kind of legal problem. We are not able to represent all applicants who qualify for our services and many will only receive referral information. We prioritize cases involving recent abuse, sexual assault, and stalking. Family Law Intake hours are only Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST, at (956) 996-8752 Please contact us on Tuesday or Thursday to open an application if you need assistance obtaining a protective order or help with a court proceeding involving abuse.

If you have experienced abuse, we encourage you to reach out to your local family violence or sexual assault survival center and the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or www.thehotline.org. 

We also have a special project for parents who are involved in litigation with Child Protective Services. If you are a parent and have been sued by Child Protective Services, you can call to complete an intake at any time Monday - Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., CST at (956) 996-8752.

If you need help with a simple divorce, which means:

1.) You and your spouse agree to the divorce.

and

2.) You and your spouse agree to any issues regarding children and property.

Then, you may qualify for our Self-Help Divorce Clinic.

In order to find out if you may qualify, please click here to answer these questions. 

Please note that our Self Help Divorce Clinic is only currently offered in the following counties: Bexar, Cameron, Calhoun, DeWitt-Cuero, El Paso, Goliad, Gonzales, Hidalgo, Jackson, Lavaca, Nueces, Refugio, Starr and Victoria.

If you need help with a simple divorce and neither you or your spouse live in one of these counties, you can find information and forms to file for divorce without an attorney at: texaslawhelp.org/family-divorce-children/divorce.

Si desea obtener ayuda con un caso de divorcio simple, es decir qué;

1.) Usted y su esposo/a están de acuerdo con solicitar el divorcio.

y

2.) Usted y su esposo/a están de acuerdo con cualquier situación relacionada con sus hijos menores de edad y la propiedad que tengan en común.

Puede calificar para nuestra clínica de auto ayuda de Divorcio. 

Para saber si puede calificar, complete este cuestionario.

Tenga en cuenta que nuestra Clínica de autoayuda de divorcio solamente esta disponible en los siguientes condados: Bexar, Cameron, Calhoun, DeWitt-Cuero, El Paso, Goliad, Gonzales, Hidalgo, Jackson, Lavaca, Nueces, Refugio, Starr y Victoria.

Si necesita ayuda con un caso de divorcio simple y ni usted, ni su cónyuge viven en alguno de estos condados, puede encontrar información y formularios para solicitar el divorcio sin la ayuda de un abogado en: texaslawhelp.org/es/family-divorce-children/divorcio.

I am seeking help with:

  • If you have been served with a divorce, you can find information on filing an answer including answer forms at Texas Law Help: texaslawhelp.org/family-divorce-children/divorce. You can also find forms for filing for an uncontested divorce on your own as well as frequently asked questions. 

    Texas Legal Services Center hosts self-representation clinics throughout the state to assist in family law matters, including uncontested divorces. An uncontested divorce is a divorce in which both spouses agree to the issues involved (child custody, child support, property division). To find one in your area, you can visit their website at: www.tlsc.org/familylawclinics.

    If you and your spouse have children and there are no custody and visitation orders in place, you may want to apply with the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG) before filing for divorce. Having orders in place regarding your children may make it easier for you to get a divorce with the help of some free legal services like the ones we mentioned above. You can contact the OAG at 1-800-252-8014.

    If you are concerned about your safety or there is a history of family violence and would like to know more about applying for child support safely, visit: www.getchildsupportsafely.org.

    DIVORCE IN TEXAS FAQS: https://www.trla.org/divorce-in-texas

  • You can apply for child support orders with the help of the Office of the Attorney General of Texas (OAG). If there no child support order exists, an order will be established, which includes child and medical support as well as custody and visitation.

    You can apply online here: https://childsupport.oag.state.tx.us/.

    If you are concerned about your safety or there is a history of family violence and you would like to know more about applying for child support safely, visit: www.getchildsupportsafely.org/.

    Child Custody FAQs: www.trla.org/child-custody

    Child Support FAQs: www.trla.org/child-support

  • For custody modifications, you can learn more about the modification process at Texas Law Help: texaslawhelp.org/article/changing-custody-visitation-or-child-support-order. This site also provides sample response documents if you need to file an answer to a modification suit. 

    For child support modifications, contact the Child Support Division of the Office of the Attorney General online or by calling 1-800-252-8014 to request modification based on a change of income or change in where a child is living.

    Child support may be modified if you receive certain public benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and if the paying parent is incarcerated. For more information on these topics, see: Child Sup­port and Social Security | Texas Attorney General and Incar­cer­at­ed Parents | Texas Attorney General.

    Modifying Child Support, Custody and Access FAQs: modifying-child-support-custody-and-access

  • If you are seeking a name change for a minor, you can find a kit to complete the name change yourself here: texaslawhelp.org/toolkit/i-want-change-my-childs-name.

    If you are seeking a name change for an adult, you can find a kit to complete the name change yourself here: texaslawhelp.org/name-change/name-change-adult.

    Name Change FAQ: https://www.trla.org/name-change