Legal Question in Family Law in Texas

Texas does not have common law marriage or alimony.

Instead, Texas will recognize an "informal marriage" if the parties agreed to live together as husband and wife and held themselves out to the community, family, and friends as being married. Just living together does not establish a marriage.

Instead of alimony, Texas has temporary spousal maintenance. The awarding of spousal maintenance is 100% at the discretion of the trial court. The court cannot consider awarding spousal maintenance unless the parties were married for at least 10 years, but having been married for ten years, whether informally or formally, does not automatically entitle a person to spousal maintenance.

Spousal maintenance is not easy to get in Texas and if you want to pursue that, you will need a good family law attorney.

Good luck!