Facing a divorce or custody case in Tarrant County
Tarrant County family cases are heard by six family district courts at the Tarrant County Family Law Center, 200 E. Weatherford Street in Fort Worth. Unlike Dallas, Collin and Denton counties, Tarrant County does not have an automatic standing order for divorce and custody cases. If you want rules in place about the children, money or behavior while the case is open, you generally have to ask the court for them. Scott Rewak can help you decide what to ask for and when, starting with a free, confidential consultation.
Where Tarrant County family cases are heard
Tarrant County has six family district courts: the 231st, 233rd, 322nd, 324th, 325th and 360th. All six are in the Tarrant County Family Law Center, 200 E. Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196.
- 5th floor: the 231st, 233rd and 325th.
- 4th floor: the 322nd, 324th and 360th.
- 1st floor: IV-D Courts No. 1 and No. 2.
The IV-D courts handle child-support cases brought through the Texas Attorney General. If the Attorney General's office is involved in your child support, your hearing may be on the first floor rather than upstairs.
Family filings go to the District Clerk's Family Law Division on the 3rd floor of the same building. The clerk posts its e-filing information and family filing fees online.
No automatic standing order in Tarrant County
In many Texas counties, a standing order kicks in when a divorce or custody case is filed. It is a set of rules the courts apply to every case of that kind, without anyone asking. Dallas County's order, for example, bars taking the children out of Texas without agreement, and Denton County's bars deleting texts and emails that relate to the divorce.
Tarrant County does not have an automatic county-wide standing order for family cases. None appears in the Tarrant County Family Local Rules (effective June 1, 2023) or in the courts' documents posted on the state's local-rules site.
Filing a case in Tarrant County does not, by itself, put limits on what either spouse or parent may do while it is open. If you are worried that money may be moved, that the children may be taken somewhere, or that messages may turn hostile, the protection has to be requested.
Asking the court for protection
There are two kinds of request people most often make at the start of a Tarrant County case:
- A temporary restraining order. This is a short-term court order telling one or both sides not to do certain things, such as hide property or take the children away, until a hearing can be held.
- Temporary orders. These are the court's rules for while the case is open: who the children live with, the schedule for the other parent, who pays which bills and who stays in the house.
Whether you need either one, and what it should say, depends on your situation. Scott often says, "There's no substitute for being prepared." In Tarrant County, part of being prepared is deciding early what to ask for, because nothing is in place automatically.
Associate judges and agreed cases
Each family court can work with an associate judge, a judge who works under the elected judge. Tarrant County's Family Local Rule 4.03(2) says that "upon agreement of the parties and counsel of record, the Court may refer a case for final disposition by the associate judge of that court." In plain words, if everyone agrees, the associate judge can decide the whole case.
The Family Local Rules do not contain a rule requiring mediation. The county does publish a list of mediators. Mediation is a meeting with a neutral person who helps both sides try to reach an agreement, and Scott's mediation page explains what the day looks like.
Protective orders in Tarrant County
If you are afraid for your safety, the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney handles protective-order applications. You start by completing a questionnaire online. The unit's phone number is 817-884-1623.
One detail matters for families already in court. The District Attorney's page says its office generally does not take applicants who have a pending divorce or custody case, among other limits. If you are in the middle of a family case and need protection, you may need to ask for it within that case. Scott's protective orders page explains how these orders fit together.
Which county is yours?
Tarrant County had an estimated 2,248,466 residents in July 2025. Several cities in and around it cross county lines. Fort Worth reaches into Denton, Johnson, Parker and Wise counties. Southlake has Tarrant and Denton County resources, and Grand Prairie sits in Dallas, Tarrant and Ellis counties.
Your address decides your county, not your city. To file for divorce in a county, you or your spouse must have lived there for the 90 days before filing, and in Texas for the six months before filing (Tex. Fam. Code §6.301). If you live in Fort Worth, the Fort Worth page walks through first steps.
How Scott helps in Tarrant County
Scott Rewak is Board Certified, Family Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and handles any family-law matter. His office is at 5950 Sherry Lane, Suite 800, in Dallas's Preston Center.
In a county without a standing order, the first conversation matters. Scott can help you think through whether to request a restraining order or temporary orders, what evidence supports the request, and what you can reasonably agree with the other side instead.
The free Navigating Divorce workbook helps you gather what you will need before that first conversation.
Questions people ask
Does Tarrant County have a standing order for divorce?
No automatic county-wide standing order appears in Tarrant County's Family Local Rules or the courts' posted documents. If you want restrictions in place while the case is open, you generally need to ask the court.
Can my spouse empty our bank account after I file?
In Tarrant County, filing alone does not create an automatic order about property. If you are worried about accounts, talk to a lawyer about asking the court for a restraining order or temporary orders.
Will an associate judge hear my case?
Under Family Local Rule 4.03(2), if both parties and their lawyers agree, the court may send the case to its associate judge for a final decision.
Can the District Attorney help with a protective order if I'm already divorcing?
The District Attorney's page says it generally does not take applicants with a pending divorce or custody case. In that situation, protection may need to be requested within your family case.
