What is a sworn Inventory and Appraisement in a Texas divorce?
A verified listing of each spouse's property and debts that the court can order under Texas Family Code § 6.502(a)(1) at the temporary orders stage. It captures personal property alongside everything else, and the court then divides community property in a manner that is just and right under Family Code Chapter 7, based on classification and value rather than whose name is on the title.
What valuation date do Texas divorce courts use?
The time of trial, by default. Courts may adopt an alternative date to prevent injustice, for example where a spouse wastes or hides assets. That default matters because vehicles, equipment, and business interests can change value considerably between filing and trial.
Must valuation evidence come from a licensed appraiser in Texas?
No. Fair market value can be proven through documents, lay testimony, or expert testimony, and where an asset has no market value, Texas practice permits intrinsic value instead. That flexibility is especially relevant for art, collectibles, and closely held business interests that lack ready comparables.
What is the deadline to enforce a personal property award after a Texas divorce?
Two years. A suit to enforce the division of tangible personal property must be filed before the second anniversary of the decree becoming final under Family Code § 9.003, and rights to future property run two years from when the right matures or accrues. Missing those windows can forfeit items awarded in the decree.