Get through a divorce or a custody fight without losing time with your children to a filing mistake.
Divorce, child custody and child support. Every one of these is tried in El Paso courts.
Texas runs a waiting period from the day of filing whether or not anyone is arguing. Agreed cases finish shortly after it; contested ones are largely shaped by what the temporary orders set up in the first month.
Photograph every account statement now, while you still have access to them.
Texas law talks about conservatorship rather than custody. The real fight is usually about who decides and where the child primarily lives, not about the label.
Keep a plain calendar of who did what. It beats memory in a hearing.
Support runs off a formula with a statutory cap. The number moves on proof of income, not on argument about what somebody could be earning.
Gather two years of tax returns and three months of pay records.
You need a material and substantial change since the last order, not simply a preference for something different. Time passing is not by itself a change.
Write down exactly what changed and when it changed.
An order is only worth what happens when it is broken. Enforcement has to plead the violations specifically: dates, amounts, missed exchanges.
Log each violation the day it happens, not from memory months later.
A protective order is its own case, decided faster and on a different standard than the divorce, and it reshapes what is possible in the family case around it.
If you are in danger right now, call 911 first and a lawyer second.
General information about Texas procedure, not legal advice about your matter.
Emergency custody orders in Texas and when they actually applyTexas moves fast on custody only on a sworn showing of immediate danger, and only until a hearing. What qualifies, what does not, and what judges expect.August 25, 2026Family law
How child custody is decided in a Texas divorceTexas starts from joint managing conservatorship and decides on the child's best interest. Joint does not mean equal time, and one parent sets the home.August 13, 2026Family law
How long a divorce takes in El PasoA Texas court generally cannot grant a divorce before the sixtieth day after filing. The rest of the timeline is set by how much you two disagree.August 6, 2026The review is free, the call comes from a partner, and you will get a straight answer either way. Even if the answer is that you do not need us.
# Family Law Attorney in El Paso > Get through a divorce or a custody fight without losing time with your children to a filing mistake. Wyatt, Underwood & Grasheim handles divorce, child custody and child support in El Paso, Texas, licensed in Texas and New Mexico. One of the three partners takes the file and carries it start to finish. Call [(915) 485-9100](tel:+19154859100) for a free case review. Hablamos español. ## Will I lose custody of my kids? Rarely. Texas courts start from the presumption that both parents should be named joint managing conservators, and they decide from the child's best interest rather than which parent files first. Sole custody is the exception, not the default. What matters most is the record you build before the first hearing. A family case runs on two tracks at once: the legal one, and the one your children are actually living in. Temporary orders set the pattern early, and courts are slow to disturb an arrangement that looks like it is working. ## What we handle Divorce, child custody and child support. Every one of these is tried in El Paso courts. ### Divorce, agreed and contested Texas runs a waiting period from the day of filing whether or not anyone is arguing. Agreed cases finish shortly after it; contested ones are largely shaped by what the temporary orders set up in the first month. First move: Photograph every account statement now, while you still have access to them. ### Custody and conservatorship Texas law talks about conservatorship rather than custody. The real fight is usually about who decides and where the child primarily lives, not about the label. First move: Keep a plain calendar of who did what. It beats memory in a hearing. ### Child and spousal support Support runs off a formula with a statutory cap. The number moves on proof of income, not on argument about what somebody could be earning. First move: Gather two years of tax returns and three months of pay records. ### Modifying an existing order You need a material and substantial change since the last order, not simply a preference for something different. Time passing is not by itself a change. First move: Write down exactly what changed and when it changed. ### Enforcement and contempt An order is only worth what happens when it is broken. Enforcement has to plead the violations specifically: dates, amounts, missed exchanges. First move: Log each violation the day it happens, not from memory months later. ### Protective orders A protective order is its own case, decided faster and on a different standard than the divorce, and it reshapes what is possible in the family case around it. First move: If you are in danger right now, call 911 first and a lawyer second. ## What the firm actually does with the file ## Questions people ask before they hire anyone ### How long does a divorce take in El Paso? Texas will not finalise one before the 60th day after filing, with limited family-violence exceptions. One spouse generally must have lived in Texas for the preceding six months and in the county for 90 days. Sixty days is a floor, not an estimate: contested custody, property, service and the court's calendar routinely make it longer. ### How is child custody decided in an El Paso divorce? Texas calls it conservatorship and decides it on the child's best interest. Courts weigh safety, caregiving history, stability and each parent's circumstances. There is no rule that mothers or fathers win by default. El Paso family cases can involve associate judges and local scheduling rules, which affect timing more than most people expect. ## More on family law - [Emergency custody orders in Texas and when they actually apply](/insights/emergency-custody-orders-texas): Texas moves fast on custody only on a sworn showing of immediate danger, and only until a hearing. What qualifies, what does not, and what judges expect. (statutes checked 2026-09-14) - [How child custody is decided in a Texas divorce](/insights/how-child-custody-is-decided-texas): Texas starts from joint managing conservatorship and decides on the child's best interest. Joint does not mean equal time, and one parent sets the home. (statutes checked 2026-09-14) - [How long a divorce takes in El Paso](/insights/how-long-divorce-takes-el-paso): A Texas court generally cannot grant a divorce before the sixtieth day after filing. The rest of the timeline is set by how much you two disagree. (statutes checked 2026-09-14) All of them: [Insights](/insights) ## Talk to a partner The case review is free, the call comes from a partner, and you get a straight answer either way. Even if the answer is that you do not need us. Call [(915) 485-9100](tel:+19154859100) or use the chat at the bottom right of any page. Hablamos español. Wyatt, Underwood & Grasheim 705 Texas Ave #100 El Paso, TX 79901 [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=705+Texas+Ave+%23100%2C+El+Paso%2C+TX+79901) General information about Texas procedure, not legal advice about your matter. Reading this page does not make the firm your lawyer. See the [Terms of Use](/terms).