Military Divorce Attorney in San Antonio

Direct Attorney Access for Your Military Divorce

Military-connected divorces involve the same core questions as civilian cases, but service obligations, retirement benefits, and military schedules can affect how those questions are resolved. The Knowlton Law Firm provides focused family law representation for service members and spouses facing divorce in San Antonio.

We handle contested and uncontested divorce, property and debt division, child custody, child support, spousal maintenance, mediation, and collaborative divorce. Because we devote 100 percent of our practice to family law, we can address these connected issues within one case. We also consider whether military duties make a proposed custody schedule practical.

Our clients receive direct attorney access, including communication by text. You can ask questions as they arise and receive guidance from an attorney familiar with the details of your case.

Call (210) 361-6990 to discuss your situation with a military divorce attorney and identify the issues that may require attention.

Issues That Can Shape a Military Divorce

A military divorce can involve community property, parenting arrangements, support, and procedural protections tied to active-duty service. We help clients separate these questions and understand which decisions belong in the divorce decree, custody order, or property division.

Military service doesn’t automatically determine the outcome of a dispute. Relevant facts can include the spouses’ property, the children’s needs, the service member’s duties, and the court’s authority over the case.

Military Retirement & Former-Spouse Benefits

Texas generally distinguishes community property acquired during marriage from separate property owned before marriage or received through a gift, inheritance, or personal-injury settlement. Retirement accounts and pensions earned during marriage are typically treated as community property subject to division, although the classification and divisible share depend on the facts.

The Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act permits state courts to distribute military retired pay under a qualifying court order. It doesn’t create an automatic right to retirement pay for a former spouse. Texas property law and the terms of the final order remain central to determining whether and how that pay is divided.

A qualifying former spouse may receive a marital share of military retirement pay directly from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service when the marriage and military service overlapped for 10 years or more. This requirement concerns the payment mechanism, not whether the retirement pay is divisible.

Continued Benefits Under the 20/20/20 Rule
The 20/20/20 rule can preserve TRICARE, commissary, exchange, and morale, welfare, and recreation privileges when the marriage and creditable service each lasted 20 years and overlapped for the same period.

Transitional Coverage Under the 20/20/15 Rule
The 20/20/15 rule can provide transitional TRICARE coverage when the marriage and creditable service each lasted 20 years and overlapped for 15 years. It doesn’t provide continued commissary, exchange, or installation privileges. Both rules address post-divorce benefits, not the separate division of military retired pay.

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We offer flat-fee pricing, and financing starting as low as $89 a month.

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Clear Costs for Military Divorce Representation

We use a flat-fee billing model rather than traditional hourly billing. Before you move forward, we explain the cost structure so you can evaluate representation with a clear understanding of the financial commitment.

Financing is available starting at $89 per month. Eligibility and payment details depend on your circumstances.

Treating Clients Like Family

Filing a Military Divorce in San Antonio

Jurisdiction determines which court has authority to grant the divorce and decide related property and parenting matters. Because military assignments can place spouses in different locations, jurisdiction should be addressed before filing rather than assumed from a current duty station.

San Antonio divorce cases are filed through Bexar County Civil Filing for the Bexar County District Courts. Represented parties generally submit filings electronically through an approved provider.

Mediation offers a structured setting in which a neutral mediator helps participants communicate and work toward a possible written agreement. The mediator can’t impose a result. We represent clients during this process and help them evaluate proposed terms before an agreement is finalized.

Deployment, Court Participation & Child Custody

Military schedules and service obligations can affect whether a child custody schedule is workable. Parenting plans may need to account for duty requirements, periods of absence, transportation, and each parent’s ability to exercise parenting time. We help clients present practical proposals grounded in the children’s needs and the family’s circumstances.

The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act provides procedural protections when military duties materially affect an active-duty service member’s ability to participate in a case. A service member may request a stay, which temporarily pauses the proceedings. A court must grant a stay of at least 90 days when the request satisfies the law’s statutory conditions.

Additional safeguards apply before a default judgment is entered against a defendant who hasn’t appeared. The plaintiff must file an affidavit addressing the defendant’s military status. If the defendant is a servicemember, the court must appoint an attorney to represent that person before proceeding with a default judgment.

Discuss Your Military Divorce with an Attorney

A free initial case evaluation can clarify the property, parenting, benefits, and procedural questions involved in your divorce. Consultations are available by phone, in person, or through Zoom, so you can choose the option that fits your circumstances.

Consultation requests submitted through our contact form receive the same focused attention. We’ll discuss the available next steps and the information needed to assess your divorce.

Call (210) 361-6990 to schedule your free initial case evaluation with our military divorce lawyer in San Antonio.

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