Family Law Case Review
Family Law Case Review is a FREE service offered by the Travis County Law Library that helps people without lawyers navigate the steps in their uncontested family law cases.
During Case Review, a Law Library reference attorney reviews your forms for completeness and explains the steps to finish your case. If your case is ready, the reference attorney helps you submit your case to the Judge by email or explains how to schedule a court hearing.
No other county in Texas offers this valuable service!
You can sign up for Family Law Case Review if:
- You have a family law case such as a name change, divorce, custody, child support, paternity, or modification case filed in Travis County, - and -
- Your case is uncontested (agreed, default, or there is only one party), - and -
- No one in your case has a lawyer.
Review Process for ADULT NAME CHANGE Cases
When you sign up for Family Law Case Review, a Law Library paralegal will review the adult name change forms and fingerprint card you filed with the Travis County District Clerk’s Office.
If your forms are complete, the paralegal will forward your case to the appropriate Judge by email and copy you on that email.
If your forms are not complete, the paralegal will let you know by email.
Review Process for DIVORCE and OTHER FAMILY LAW Cases
When you sign up for Family Law Case Review:
- You (and the other party if your case is agreed) will receive a DocuSign email with forms required for your case.
- Once you (and the other party if your case is agreed) have completed the DocuSign forms, you will receive a link to schedule an online appointment with a Law Library reference attorney.
- During your online appointment, the reference attorney will review your completed forms with you (and the other party if your case is agreed) and:
- if your case is ready, help you submit your case to the appropriate Judge by email or explain how to schedule a court hearing, or
- if your case is not ready, explain your next steps (which may include hiring a private attorney for all or part of your case if you have property of significant value.)
IMPORTANT! The Law Library reference attorney or paralegal who reviews your case will not be your lawyer and cannot give you legal advice.
If you need legal advice, please hire a private family law attorney. If you need help finding an attorney, contact the Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas. If your income is low, learn about free and low-cost legal resources here.
SIGN UP FOR FAMILY LAW CASE REVIEW here: https://lawlibrary.traviscountytx.gov/CRR
The legal process is not fast – even if your case is agreed and even if you hire a private attorney.
If you sign up for Family Law Case Review, please plan to wait for an appointment with a reference attorney and then wait for the Judge to decide your case.
How long you’ll need to wait will depend on:
- the type of case you have,
- the complexity of your case,
- any statutory waiting periods that apply in your case,
- how carefully you fill out your court forms,
- how many other cases the Law Library is reviewing, and
- the Judge's schedule.
If you’re concerned about your safety or your child’s safety, these organizations may be able to help:
- SAFE Alliance (safeaustin.org) Call the Safe Alliance 24-Hour Hotline 512-267-SAFE (7233) to get help with safety planning, safe housing, and other services.
- Protective Orders (traviscountytx.gov) – Apply for help getting a protective order.
- Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA) | Free Legal Services – Apply for free legal representation if you have a low income.
If your case involves custody and support of a child and you do not have an agreement regarding child support, please apply for help getting a child support order here: Get Started | Office of the Attorney General (texasattorneygeneral.gov).
You can use this online calculator to calculate guideline child support: Monthly Child Support Calculator | Office of the Attorney General - Texas
If you have property of significant value or are requesting nonstandard orders, you will usually need to hire a private attorney to draft your Final Decree of Divorce. Do-it-yourself Final Decree of Divorce forms are not appropriate for cases involving property of significant value.
Note: If you have property of significant value and agree on terms of your divorce, you can hire a private attorney just to draft your Final Decree of Divorce. Hiring an attorney just to give you legal advice and/or draft a legal document is called limited scope representation. You can then sign up for Family Law Case Review if you’d like help submitting your case to the Judge.