Because Texas doesn't recognize separation, you don't need a formal agreement. However, if you and your spouse would like a court order for custody, visitation, support, or to exchange separate property, it'll need to be in writing and signed by the judge.
A partition agreement divides, or partitions, a married couple's community estate into two separate estates. It is sometimes called a post-nuptial or post-marital agreement and is similar to a prenuptial agreement, except that it is executed by a married couple.
In short, yes, you should have an attorney to represent you in a postnuptial agreement for several reasons: To be sure you are treated fairly in the agreement. To have the agreement upheld, as a court is much more likely to say it is a valid contract if both parties were represented by counsel when they entered into it.
To win a partition action can take anywhere from a couple of months to reach a settlement agreement to a year or more if it goes to a court trial.
Basically, there is not a legal process for dealing with separation in Texas. But you can still move out and live separately from your spouse for as long as you need before you determine the future of your marriage.
Code § 4.102. Current with legislation from the 2023 Regular and Special Sessions signed by the Governor as of November 21, 2023. At any time, the spouses may partition or exchange between themselves all or part of their community property, then existing or to be acquired, as the spouses may desire.
The process of partition action starts with one or more owners filing a petition in court. The court then examines the real estate details and the owners' interests to decide on the best division method.
There are three types of separation: trial separation, permanent separation, and legal separation. While legal separation must be approved by a family court and may serve as an alternative to divorce, trial and permanent separation are more immediate measures taken before a divorce or potential divorce.