Most often the question of whether to hire a private detective in Texas divorce cases arises in the context of proving that a spouse is having an extramarital affair or committing adultery in the eyes of the law. Except in extraordinary circumstances, I usually advise clients that the money they think they want to spend on a private detective can be better spent in other ways. Adultery is not the be-all-end-all issue in divorce that it used to be. It may be an unfortunate comment on our modern society and the frequency of adultery as an issue in divorce proceedings, but when a spouse has an affair, it may be the impetus for getting a divorce, but will have little effect otherwise. It extreme circumstances, like when the children have been around the paramour, the question of the affair may have more impact. Likewise, in some extreme situations, the spouse committing adultery may suffer a less-than-equal property division. In a particular case, there may be other reasons to hire a private detective. But, speak with your lawyer about the issues in your divorce, the benefit to be gained from spending money on a private detective, and the overall strategy of your case before going forward in that direction.