The structure: district courts, by county
In Texas, family law cases are heard by the district court of the county where the case is venued. Larger counties (including Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton) have designated family district courts that hear only family law matters. Each county's district courts have their own judges, their own local rules, and their own scheduling rhythms.
For the DFW Metroplex, the four high-volume family court systems are:
- Dallas County family district courts — George L. Allen Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Dallas
- Tarrant County family district courts — Tarrant County Family Law Center, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth
- Collin County District Courts — Collin County Courthouse, 2100 Bloomdale Road, McKinney
- Denton County District Courts — Denton County Courts Building, 1450 East McKinney Street, Denton
The four main case types
- Divorce (Original Petition for Divorce) — ends a marriage; resolves conservatorship, possession and access, child support, spousal maintenance, and property division.
- Original SAPCR (Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship) — addresses conservatorship, possession, and child support for parents who were never married (or where these issues need to be addressed outside a divorce).
- Modification — changes an existing order based on a material and substantial change in circumstances. Governed by Texas Family Code Chapter 156.
- Enforcement / Contempt — addresses a party's failure to comply with an existing order.
Supervised possession can be ordered in any of these case types.
The lifecycle of a typical contested family law case in Texas
- Original Petition filed — Petitioner files. Respondent is served.
- Response within 20 days typically (general answer deadline under Texas Rules of Civil Procedure).
- Temporary Orders (if requested) — interim orders on conservatorship, possession, and child support while the case is pending.
- Disclosure and Discovery — parties exchange financial and case-relevant information.
- Mediation — required in most Texas family law cases before trial. Many cases settle here.
- Pretrial — for cases moving toward trial.
- Trial — bench trial before a district court judge. Texas is one of the few states that permits jury trials in some custody matters (with some limits) on demand.
- Final Order / Final Decree entered.
- Post-decree — modifications and enforcement matters can be brought as needed.
Where supervised possession enters the process
- At Temporary Orders — interim supervised possession while the case is pending
- In the Final Decree / Final Orders — long-term supervised possession as part of the parenting plan
- By Modification Suit — changing an existing parenting order to add or remove supervision
- By Emergency Temporary Orders — when an immediate safety concern arises
For procedural detail on requesting it, see our guide to requesting supervised visitation in Texas.
Key Texas family law professionals
- District Court Judge or Associate Judge — issues orders, presides at hearings and trial
- Amicus Attorney — Texas's appointed child advocate, similar in function to a GAL in other states; represents the best interest of the child
- Attorney Ad Litem — appointed to represent the child as an attorney (different from amicus — the AAL takes the child's instructions, more akin to traditional attorney-client representation)
- Guardian Ad Litem (in some Texas matters) — investigates and reports to the court
- Mediator — facilitates settlement; mediation is mandatory in most Texas SAPCRs before trial
- Parenting Facilitator / Parenting Coordinator — appointed post-decree to help parents implement orders (Texas Family Code §§ 153.601–.611)
- Supervised Visitation Provider — a TruVisit Dallas-style neutral third party present at visits
Practical realities
- Cases take time. Texas requires a minimum 60-day waiting period after filing for divorce. Contested SAPCRs routinely take 6–12 months or longer. Modifications can take similar time.
- Most cases settle. The vast majority never reach trial — Texas's mandatory mediation policy is part of why.
- Documentation matters. Texas family courts are evidence-driven — and good evidence is documented.
- Professional supervision strengthens your record. Whether you're asking for supervised possession or subject to it, having a professional, certified provider produces a credible documentary record the court relies on.
About TruVisit Dallas reports
Our session reports are written in objective, non-editorial professional language, timestamped throughout, and formatted to meet the documentation standards used by the family district courts of Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties. Reports are delivered within 24 hours of each visit.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out which judge has my case?
Once a case is filed, the District Clerk assigns it to a court. The assignment appears on case documents and is searchable through each county's public case lookup.
Can I really request a jury trial in a Texas custody case?
Yes, in some matters. Texas is one of the few states permitting jury trials in family law, though it's limited — jury can decide some issues like primary conservatorship, but possession and access details are typically decided by the judge. This is rare in practice; most cases proceed as bench trials.
Do I have to go to court for supervised possession if both parents agree?
Even when both parents agree, an enforceable order has to come from the court. The parties can submit an Agreed Order for the judge to sign — no contested hearing required. Many supervised possession arrangements start as Agreed Orders.
Does TruVisit Dallas work with self-represented (pro se) parents?
Yes. Many of the parents we work with are pro se. We don't provide legal advice — but we do explain how our service works, what our reports look like, and what to expect logistically.