During a Texas divorce, is there a legal way for one spouse to remove?
Yes. In fact, it's pretty easy. My husband actually did this to me. However, it has very bad, traumatic, heartbreaking consequences. Or, at least it can. Here's what my husband did (all in one weeks time): Saturday- He bought me a new Range Rover for our 8th anniversary. Acted like he loved and cherished me. Monday-Made love to me and left town for work. Didn't go to work but instead went to the bank and withdrew all monies from all checking/savings accounts and opened new accounts with said money. Cancelled all credit cards. Opened new credit card without my name. Called to let me know he made it to work and remind me to pick up dry cleaning. Got a hotel room down the street and checked in. Went out for a bite and then met with an attorney. Told attorney I was on drugs and he feared for the life of our three daughters. Claimed I'd been to rehab 4 times to no avail and I abused our kids. Claimed he was 100% sure I was on meth and he was desperate to save our girls. Filled out an affidavit and signed it. Used new credit card to pay $5000 retainer. Tuesday morning- went to court at 9 am and left at 9:05 with an emergency ex party and filed for divorce. Seven judges signed off on it. Had lunch Researched process servers Went to titty bar to watch the game Called home to check in and talk about his day at work. Inquired about my day and talked to the girls before turning in for a good nights sleep. Wednesday- 9am-calls the parents of the children I babysat and told them they need to pick up their children right away but couldn't say why. Then he called me at 9:30 to ask me about getting his dry cleaning and then let me know he closed all access to money and wanted me to take a drug test. Refused to answer any questions and assured me he was under no obligation to allow me access to any funds. Hangs up on me once he feels my surprise and confusion is sufficient. Calls my best friend and asks her to go to our house because I'm about to be served divorce papers and he's afraid I might kill myself. Goes to sports bar for lunch and to relax. Waits to hear from his lawyer. At 10:30 I am served with divorce papers and orders for emergency ex parte relief, restraining order and order for a mandatory hair follicle drug screening. Police officer shows up at 11 am and I'm given one hour to pack some belongings before being removed from my house. Noon: I'm escorted out of my house and must hand over my house keys and keys to my new car. My husband has arrived and the cop gives me the keys to his car and a $20 bill. Rips my two year old from my arms and hands her to my husband. Advises me to seek an attorney and not to violate the restraining order. Husband goes inside and shuts the door behind him. I am then required to take a drug test (by days end, on my dime) and can't be within 200 yards of my home or my children and their school. Court hearing is set for two weeks out. Until then, he was in control of everything and had the exclusive right to execute primary residence of the marital home and the use of the new vehicle. He was also granted sole conservatorship of said minor children. He booked me a room at the same hotel he'd been staying at. His mom flew in before days end to stay with him and help care for our children. He spent the rest of the week going to school orientation and meet the teacher events in preparation for the start of school the following week. My middle daughter started kindergarten. They went to the fair, a few shopping sprees, the movies. It was that easy. I had to take a hair follicle test and when the results came back (negative, of course) two weeks later, he had to leave and I was able to go home and take custody of our home and children. And thus started the nightmare divorce process and him moving out. He never flinched. None of what he accused was true, but it made no difference. Not once did anyone ask me any questions, run a background check. There was not a single effort made to verify a single thing he accused me of. He made his accusation, paid the attorney, 7 judges spent five minutes and signed the orders as it was in the best interest of the children. I was removed for 2 weeks and had to prove I wasn't on drugs. I had only $20 to my name. My community raised the money I needed to take the court ordered drug test. Even after I proved he was lying, he suffered not one single consequence. That was in August 2012. I'm still in therapy 2x week. My children are in therapy as well. He moved out and treated us like shit. Until his girlfriend dumped him. Then he begged forgiveness. This was Frisco, TX, btw.