J. Turner Thornton
Divorce Attorney and Partner at Varghese Summersett
Turner Thornton is a highly-regarded Fort Worth family law attorney and partner, who leads the divorce division of Varghese Summersett. I’ve gotten to know Turner over the past couple of years, through his guest appearances on the DGS podcast, and I find him to be: knowledgable, personable, and results-driven.
Divorce, child custody disputes, and property division are among the most contentious and complex cases in the legal system. Turner and the entire divorce team at Varghese Summersett understand the intricacies and complexities involved in family law. They work strategically to find and implement the best strategy for each client. While many cases are resolved through mediation, others require an aggressive courtroom battle. The team is skilled in all aspects of case resolution and they treat every person who walks through the door with honesty, professionalism, and compassion. I am so honored to call Varghese Summersett a Divorced Girl Smiling trusted professional.
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About Varghese Summersett
We know if you are contemplating a divorce, you are on the verge of a massive change to your life. You will be facing a number of emotionally charged decisions. You may find yourself feeling drained and anxious.
You should not face these problems alone.
Advice from a Fort Worth Divorce Law Firm:
It’s almost impossible to fully prepare for the emotional, financial, and physical toll a divorce can take on you and your family. Whether you’ve been contemplating your options for months or are just recently exploring the legal avenues available to you, understanding the basics of a divorce in Texas is the first step in finding the path that is best for you.
Our family lawyers know the challenges you are facing and the struggles you are going through. Our top priority is to get the best results for you through agreement or through the court system.
We are experienced trial attorneys and hiring us sends a message to the other side: we are relentless in seeking the best outcomes for our clients. We are proud of our track record and reputation for treating our clients with compassion, handling ourselves with integrity, and being tenacious until we prevail. We’ve put this page together to share information that our Fort Worth Divorce Lawyers believe is important for you to know as you go through the divorce process in Texas.
What is a Divorce in Texas?
Let’s start with the basics. Divorce is the dissolution of a marriage, meaning a valid marriage is ended through a legal process. In Texas, a marriage is presumed valid so long as there is no fraud, mistake, or illegality. There are also rules prohibiting minors from getting married and some offenses in the Penal Code that would prevent the formation of a valid marriage. A marriage is even considered valid if the officiant did not have the authority to perform the marriage ceremony but there was a reasonable belief that the officiant was authorized and at least one party thought the marriage was valid.
Termination of Marriage in Texas
If you have a valid marriage, there are two ways the marriage can be ended: death or divorce. While Texas does recognize annulments as a method of terminating a marriage, an annulment is granted when the marriage should not have occurred in the first place, such as when the marriage was not legal (i.e. in cases of bigamy) or some legal impediment to marriage that may have been concealed initially is revealed (i.e. one spouse concealed their previous divorce which occurred within the month prior to the new marriage). Texas divorce can get really complicated and the grounds, process, and cost are entirely dependent on your specific situation.
- Update your bills, utilities, and change the title to your cars.
- Revise your estate planning documents (like a will) and any pay-on-death accounts.
- Change beneficiaries from your spouse to the individual(s) you want as beneficiaries.
- Revise life insurance and retirement plans as needed.
Fort Worth Divorce Lawyers Serving All of Tarrant County
We serve Fort Worth, Arlington, Hurst, Euless, Bedford, North Richland Hills, Benbrook, Mansfield, Westover Hills, and all of Tarrant County from our Fort Worth office. We are conveniently located in downtown Fort Worth, just a few blocks from the Family Courthouse.
