Family Courts
Tarrant County Family Courts handle legal matters involving family relationships, including cases involving divorce, child-related issues, protective matters, and other family law proceedings. This article explains how the Family Courts are organized, where different family court services are located, how to identify the correct court, what information self-represented litigants should prepare, and how related offices support family cases.
Family Court Location
The Tarrant County Family Courts are located at the Family Law Center in Fort Worth. The main Family Courts office provides general court information and connects residents with the appropriate family court division. The Tarrant County Family Courts information page provides court listings, judge information, and office details for the family law divisions.
The Family Law Center is located at 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Family Courts phone number is 817-884-1265.
Because several district courts handle family law matters, residents should identify the correct court before contacting a judge’s office or submitting documents. Court information, assigned judges, and court-specific contacts vary by division.
Family District Courts
Tarrant County Family Courts include several district courts located within the Family Law Center. Each court has its own judge, associate judge, court staff, and procedures. The assigned court depends on the case and the court handling the matter.
231st District Court
The 231st District Court is located on the 5th floor of the Family Law Center at 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0240. The court is led by Judge Jesus Nevarez, Jr. The court’s associate judge is Kevin J. Schmid.
Residents can review the 231st District Court information for court contacts, coordinator information, local rules, and information for self-represented litigants.
233rd District Court
The 233rd District Court is located on the 5th floor of the Family Law Center at 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0227. The court is led by Judge Kenneth E. Newell. The associate judge is Kate Stone.
The court provides information about local rules, court location details, and other court-specific information through the 233rd District Court page.
322nd District Court
The 322nd District Court is located on the 4th floor of the Family Law Center at 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0230. The court is led by Judge James Munford. The associate judge is Jeffery N. Kaitcer.
Court information, local rules, parking information, and self-represented litigant information are available through the 322nd District Court information page.
324th District Court
The 324th District Court is located on the 4th floor of the Family Law Center at 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0232. The court is led by Judge Beth A. Poulos. The associate judge is Lori DeAngelis.
The 324th District Court page provides court contacts, local rules, courtroom information, and information for people representing themselves.
325th District Court
The 325th District Court is located on the 5th floor of the Family Law Center at 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0233. The court is led by Judge Cynthia Terry. The associate judge is Kristina Denapolis.
Residents can review the 325th District Court information for court contacts, location details, and family court procedures.
360th District Court
The 360th District Court is located on the 4th floor of the Family Law Center at 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196-0290. The court is led by Judge Patricia Baca Bennett. The associate judge is Lauren Melhart.
The 360th District Court page includes court contacts, courtroom information, local rules, and other court materials.
Child Support Courts
Tarrant County IV-D Courts handle Title IV-D child support cases. These courts address child support matters involving services provided through the Title IV-D program, including child support establishment, modification, enforcement, and paternity cases.
The IV-D Courts information page provides court details and contact information for the child support courts located at the Family Law Center.
IV-D Court services involve cases where the Texas Attorney General or the Tarrant County Domestic Relations Office has provided services related to child support obligations, medical support obligations, locating an absent parent, determining parentage, or enforcing support responsibilities.
Child Protection Court
Tarrant County Child Protection Courts handle cases involving child protection matters. Child Protection Court No. 1 and Child Protection Court No. 2 are located at the Family Law Center, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196.
The Child Protection Court page provides information about court contacts, appointment lists, local rules, and information for self-represented litigants.
Family Court Services
Family Court Services is a division of the Tarrant County Domestic Relations Office. It assists parents involved in family litigation by providing services designed to reduce conflict and support decision-making related to children.
Family Court Services provides mediation services, parental orientation classes, and supervised visitation programs. The office also provides neutral assessment and fact-finding services for family law courts.
More information about these services is available through the Family Court Services page.
Self-Represented Litigants
People who represent themselves in family court cases are responsible for protecting their own legal interests. The Tarrant County Family Judges encourage individuals to hire a lawyer when possible, but court information is available for those who proceed without one.
Court clerks, court staff, and judges can provide general court information, but they cannot provide legal advice, complete forms for individuals, or tell someone what actions to take in a case.
The Information for Self-Represented Litigants page provides information about family court procedures, court conduct, and available court-related materials.
Preparing for Family Court
Before contacting a Family Court office, residents should gather basic case information so court staff can better direct their questions. Useful information may include the case number, names of parties involved, the court handling the case, and any relevant court documents.
Different family courts have different contacts and procedures. Using the correct court division helps prevent delays caused by contacting the wrong office or providing incomplete case information.
Common Court Mistakes
Family court matters often involve multiple offices within the same building. A common mistake is contacting a general court office when the question relates to a specific assigned judge, associate judge, or service division.
Residents should also avoid confusing Family Court divisions with related offices. For example, child support cases may involve IV-D Courts, while mediation and parenting-related services may involve Family Court Services within the Domestic Relations Office.
Domestic Relations Office
The Tarrant County Domestic Relations Office works with family-related programs, including Child Support Services, Legal Support Services, Family Court Services, and the Community Supervision Unit.
Family Court Services assists parents during litigation by providing mediation services, parental orientation classes, and supervised visitation programs. The Domestic Relations Office also manages programs connected with child support and family court compliance.
Relevant Departments and Offices
Family Law Center — 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196 — 817-884-1265
231st District Court — Family Law Center - 5th Floor, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196-0240 — 817-884-3796
233rd District Court — Family Law Center - 5th Floor, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196-0227 — 817-884-1794
322nd District Court — Family Law Center - 4th Floor, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196-0230 — 817-884-1427
324th District Court — Family Law Center - 4th Floor, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196-0232 — 817-884-1432
325th District Court — Family Law Center - 5th Floor, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196-0233 — 817-884-1537
360th District Court — Family Law Center - 4th Floor, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196-0290 — 817-884-2708
IV-D Courts — Family Law Center - 1st Floor, 200 East Weatherford, Fort Worth, Texas 76196
Child Protection Court — Family Law Center, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 682-291-9640
Family Court Services — Family Law Center, 200 East Weatherford, 2nd Floor West, Fort Worth, TX 76196 — 817-884-1616
Domestic Relations Office — Family Law Center 2nd Floor, 200 East Weatherford Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76196 — 817-884-1742
Family Courts FAQs
How do I find the right family court for my case?
Tarrant County family cases may be handled by different courts, so it is important to use the court assigned to your case. The Tarrant County Family Courts page provides information about the family court divisions, including district courts, IV-D Courts, and Child Protection Courts. Reviewing the correct court information can help you find the appropriate procedures and documents for your case.
Where can I find information if I represent myself in family court?
If you choose to proceed without an attorney, Tarrant County provides guidance for self-represented litigants. The court staff and judges can provide general court information, but they cannot provide legal advice, complete forms for you, or tell you what decisions to make. The Information for Self-Represented Litigants page explains available court-related information and important considerations for people handling their own cases.
What help is available for parents involved in family court cases?
Parents involved in family litigation may use services provided through Tarrant County Family Court Services. This office provides mediation services, parental orientation classes, supervised visitation programs, and neutral assessment services that support family law courts. More details are available through Family Court Services information.
What does the IV-D Court handle?
Tarrant County IV-D Courts handle Title IV-D child support cases. These cases may involve child support establishment, modification, enforcement, medical support obligations, parent location, and parentage issues when services have been provided through eligible government programs. The IV-D Courts information page provides details about these court services and procedures.