Actors Jesse James and Sandra Bullock filed for a divorce in Austin, Texas on April 23, leaving Texas family law attorneys to settle the legal drama. But perhaps their split won't be too dramatic in the Texas family courts.
Because Sandra Bullock maintains a home in Austin, she and her husband had the option to go through the divorce proceedings in Texas or in California, where they own property and work. E! Online reports that there are many advantages to filing for a divorce in Texas, as opposed to the Golden state.
Perhaps the biggest advantage is that a Texas divorce can be done quickly and quietly. In California, there's a six month waiting period from the date of the divorce filing to the time in which a divorce can be finalized. But E! states that in Texas, couples can get their divorced finalized in as little as 60 days, as long as both parties are in agreement.
A divorce in Texas may also be less complicated because alimony won't be an issue. In the state of California, the rules of alimony are defined broadly. As a result, many undeserving ex-spouses can receive alimony. However, the state of Texas has strict criteria for spousal maintenance that doesn't apply to Sandra Bullock or Jesse James. Divorceinfo.com states that spousal maintenance in Texas can usually only be awarded if the duration of the marriage lasted at least 10 years and if one of the spouses is not capable of supporting themselves. In this case, the couple married less than five years ago in July 2005 and they each have plenty of money to be independent of one another. However, it remains to be seen how this plays out in family court. Stay tuned!
Related Resources:
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Sandra Bullock Facing Marriage Trouble in Texas (FindLaw's Houston Family Law Blog)
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Criteria for Ordering Alimony (FindLaw)
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Find a Houston Family Law Attorney (FindLaw)
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