Texas AG Ken Paxton and Angela Paxton avoid public divorce trial amid heated U.S. Senate race
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's divorce settlement case was removed from the trial docket Tuesday after he and his wife, state Sen. Angela Paxton, have made "substantial progress toward an amicable resolution" and no longer need a public trial, his attorneys said.
The development comes as Paxton – now the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate – heads into a runoff against Democrat James Talarico after defeating longtime Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary.
The divorce proceedings had been scheduled during the final stretch of a high‑stakes campaign, raising the prospect of renewed public scrutiny.
"The parties have jointly agreed that a trial setting is no longer necessary, and the Court has removed the case from the trial docket," Paxton's attorneys, Jared Julian and Laura Roach, said in a prepared statement.
"The parties have made substantial progress toward an amicable resolution of all issues and remain engaged in productive discussions. We are optimistic that a final agreement will be reached in the near future. Out of respect for the family and the ongoing process, no further comment will be made at this time."
Angela Paxton has not publicly commented on the Collin County judge's cancellation of the June 24-26 trial.
Unsealed filings detail early conflict
Unsealed filings show the divorce began as a contested case. Angela Paxton filed for divorce on "biblical grounds," alleging Ken Paxton committed adultery and seeking a "disproportionate share" of the marital estate. She argued Paxton had greater earning power and may have benefited from her staying with him.
Ken Paxton denied all allegations in his own filing.
In December, the Collin County judge ordered the divorce records unsealed after attorneys for the Paxtons reached an agreement with a coalition of media outlets, including The Texas Tribune, The Texas Observer, The Washington Post and Campaign for Accountability, which had challenged the request to keep the records sealed.
Marriage weathered years of scandals
The divorce came after 38 years of marriage, during which Angela Paxton publicly supported her husband through several major scandals.
Those included the 2015 state securities‑fraud case, which was dismissed in 2024 under a pretrial diversion agreement. Ken Paxton completed restitution payments, community service, and ethics training, and the charges were dropped without any admission of guilt.
He also faced a 2023 impeachment trial that revealed an extramarital affair and centered on allegations of bribery and misuse of office. The Texas House approved 20 articles of impeachment, but the Texas Senate tried 16 of them and acquitted Ken Paxton on all counts, returning him to office.
Federal investigation closed without charges
A federal corruption probe into whether Ken Paxton abused his office to benefit donor Nate Paul concluded in 2025, when the U.S. Justice Department declined to bring charges, saying the case was unlikely to succeed.
Angela Paxton cited "recent discoveries" when announcing the divorce on social media. She requested that the records be sealed shortly after filing.
