El Paso Divorce Lawyer

Divorce is one of the most consequential decisions a family can face, and who you hire shapes both the process and what comes after. At Linette Aguirre-Gonzalez, PLLC, we handle family law and nothing else. That focus means every divorce client works with an attorney whose attention isn’t divided across criminal dockets or personal injury caseloads. We represent clients throughout El Paso, Canutillo, and Fort Bliss in both contested and uncontested divorce, including matters involving child custody, property division, and spousal support.

Attorney Linette Aguirre-Gonzalez was born and raised here. She knows this community, its courts, and what El Paso families need from their legal representation. Our approach is compassionate and determined. We keep clients informed at every stage while advocating firmly for their interests. We also offer services in Spanish for clients who prefer to communicate in their first language.

Why El Paso Families Choose Linette Aguirre-Gonzalez, PLLC

Choosing a divorce attorney affects your finances, your children, and your future. Several things set our firm apart from generalist practices and multi-area firms that also serve this region.

A Practice Built Around Family Law

We don’t take criminal cases or handle personal injury claims. Family law is what we do, which means divorce clients aren’t competing for attorney attention with unrelated matters. Whether your case involves complex asset division, a disputed parenting plan, or a straightforward uncontested resolution, it receives the full weight of a practice dedicated to this area of law.

Deep El Paso Roots

Attorney Aguirre-Gonzalez grew up in El Paso, graduated from Socorro High School, and returned here after law school to build her practice. Before that, she clerked at the Children’s Law Center of California, representing abused and neglected children. That foundation carries forward into every family case she handles. Understanding what’s at stake for families isn’t abstract for her.

Personalized Strategy and Clear Communication

No two divorces are handled identically. We build legal strategies around each client’s specific circumstances, goals, and concerns. Clients tell us that accessibility and responsiveness matter as much as legal strategy, and we take that seriously. You’ll know where your case stands.

Divorce Requirements in Texas

Texas has specific legal prerequisites before a divorce can be filed or finalized. Understanding them upfront prevents delays. The key requirements include:

• Residency: One party must have been a Texas resident for at least six months and an El Paso County resident for the preceding 90 days before filing.
• Waiting Period: Texas mandates a 60-day waiting period from the filing date before a divorce can be finalized.
• Property Division: Texas is a community property state, meaning marital property acquired during the marriage is subject to division. Courts divide the community estate in a manner that is “just and right,” which doesn’t always mean a 50/50 split. Factors such as fault, earning capacity, and each spouse’s separate estate can affect the outcome.
• Child Custody and Visitation: When children are involved, custody arrangements and child support must be established. Texas courts apply a best-interests-of-the-child standard in these decisions.

No-Fault & Fault-Based Divorce in Texas

Texas allows no-fault divorce when a marriage has become insupportable: meaning the relationship is irretrievably broken and there is no reasonable expectation of reconciliation. No marital misconduct needs to be established. You may also petition for divorce on fault grounds, which can affect how the court divides marital property.

Recognized fault grounds in Texas include:

• Adultery
• Cruel treatment
• Felony conviction and incarceration of a spouse
• Abandonment

Texas law also recognizes two additional grounds that are neither fault-based nor tied to insupportability: confinement in a mental hospital for at least three years, and living separate and apart without cohabitation for at least three years.

The Texas Divorce Process: Step by Step

Knowing what to expect at each stage helps you make informed decisions throughout your case. We guide clients from the initial filing through the final decree. The process follows these key steps:

• Filing the Petition: One party files a divorce petition outlining the grounds for divorce and initial positions on property division, custody, support, and spousal maintenance.
• Serving the Petition: The other party is formally served and given the opportunity to respond and present their perspective on the proposed terms.
• Temporary Orders: Courts may issue temporary orders to address immediate concerns during proceedings, including child custody, visitation, and financial support arrangements.
• Discovery: Both parties exchange financial information, including assets, liabilities, income, and expenses. This step establishes transparency and informs negotiation.
• Negotiation and Mediation: Our attorneys work to resolve disputes before trial whenever possible. Mediation gives both parties a structured opportunity to reach agreement and avoid a contested hearing.
• Trial: When disputes remain unresolved, the case proceeds to trial, and a judge decides on contested issues based on the evidence presented.
• Final Decree: The divorce is finalized and a decree is issued covering all agreed or decided terms, including property division, spousal support, child support, and custody.

Contested & Uncontested Divorce in El Paso

The right approach depends on where you and your spouse agree, where you don’t, and what’s at stake.

An uncontested divorce occurs when both spouses reach full agreement on property division, custody, and support before going to court. These cases generally move faster and cost less than contested proceedings, and in Texas can often be finalized within 60 to 90 days after the mandatory waiting period. Even when spouses believe they’re in agreement, attorney review of the settlement protects both parties from terms that may not hold up under Texas law.

A contested divorce involves court intervention on unresolved disputes. Depending on the issues at stake, including complex asset division, custody disagreements, or disputes over spousal support, a contested case may take six months or longer. We represent clients in both paths and work to resolve disputes through negotiation and mediation before any matter goes before a judge.

For clients connected to Fort Bliss, military divorce in Texas involves additional federal considerations. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act may allow an active-duty service member to delay proceedings, and military retirement pay division follows federal rules under the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act. Our firm handles military divorce for El Paso and Fort Bliss clients.