Divorce Proceedings of Texas State Sen. Angela Paxton and Attorney General Ken Paxton

A Collin County district court has agreed to make records from Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton’s divorce proceedings with state Attorney General Ken Paxton inaccessible to the public. This decision was made on Friday, following a motion filed by Charla Bradshaw, of North Texas law firm KoonsFuller, on Angela Paxton’s behalf to seal court records.

According to court documents obtained by The Dallas Morning News on Friday, Bradshaw wrote in a motion requesting such records be sealed, “The records do not involve matters that should be available to the general public.” With the motion approved, Ken Paxton can now be spared from having allegations of infidelity aired in public as he challenges incumbent Republican John Cornyn for his U.S. Senate seat.

Background of the Divorce Proceedings

Reports of an affair came to light during the impeachment proceedings against Ken Paxton in 2023, when he was impeached by the House but acquitted by the Senate after a two-week trial. Among the allegations against Ken Paxton were claims he used his state agency to benefit a real estate investor and campaign contributor who in turn renovated his Austin home and employed a woman with whom Paxton was reportedly involved.

Cornyn’s campaign has used the allegations to call into question Ken Paxton’s character, posting on X in April that Ken Paxton “claims to be a man of faith but uses fake Uber accounts to meet his girlfriend and deceive his family.” Asked about the looming divorce on Thursday, however, Cornyn declined to attack his rival.

“I feel badly for her and their family,” Cornyn said. “This is a private matter.”

Divorce Petition and Court Records

The couple haven’t lived together in more than a year, court records showed, and Angela Paxton is seeking a $1.45 million McKinney home in Ken Paxton’s name, exclusive access to her 2021 Chevy Silverado, business account, electronic devices and “a disproportionate share” of their estate because she is not at fault and has less “earning power.”

Ken Paxton and his attorneys have entered a general denial of the divorce petition, court records showed. Laura Roach of Frisco-based law firm McCathern has been named a co-counsel for Ken Paxton, who is also being represented by Jared Julian of the Flower Mound law firm JulianJohnson.

State District Judge Jill Renfro Willis, who presides over the 429th judicial district in Collin County, has recused herself from the case. Willis is the wife of Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis, who is known to be a close friend of Ken Paxton.

Reaction from the Paxtons

Through her attorney, Angela Paxton accused Ken Paxton of “adultery” in a divorce petition. That filing described the marriage as “insupportable” and irreconcilable due to “discord or conflict of personalities.”

In a statement posted to X on Thursday, Angela Paxton said she was led by her faith to divorce Ken Paxton. “I believe marriage is a sacred covenant and I have earnestly pursued reconciliation,” she wrote. “But in light of recent discoveries, I do not believe that it honors God or is loving to myself, my children, or Ken to remain in the marriage.”

Ken Paxton said he and Angela Paxton “decided to start a new chapter” in their lives after enduring “countless political attacks and public scrutiny.” “I could not be any more proud or grateful for the incredible family that God has blessed us with,” Ken Paxton wrote on X. “I ask for your prayers and privacy at this time.”

Ken Paxton’s Senate Campaign

On Friday, Ken Paxton seemingly turned the page, pivoting to announce his first fundraising haul as a federal candidate. “The grassroots movement to fire John Cornyn continues to grow stronger [every] single day, and this is only just the beginning,” Ken Paxton said in a statement announcing his campaign had raised $2.9 million between April and June. “It’s crystal clear that the people of Texas are ready for a change, and in March 2026, change is coming.”

Texas will hold its primary elections March 3.

Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, and her husband, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, speak to supporters as they arrive at a Labor Day picnic hosted by the Collin County Republicans at Bob Woodruff Park in Plano on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023.(Juan Figueroa / Staff Photographer)

Conclusion

The divorce proceedings of Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton and Attorney General Ken Paxton have been sealed, sparing Ken Paxton from having allegations of infidelity aired in public as he challenges incumbent Republican John Cornyn for his U.S. Senate seat. The couple’s divorce petition and court records reveal a complex and contentious situation, with both parties seeking to protect their interests and reputations.

FAQs

Q: Why were the divorce proceedings of Texas state Sen. Angela Paxton and Attorney General Ken Paxton sealed?

A: The divorce proceedings were sealed to protect the privacy of the parties involved and to prevent the release of sensitive information to the public.

Q: What are the allegations against Ken Paxton?

A: Ken Paxton is accused of adultery and using his state agency to benefit a real estate investor and campaign contributor who in turn renovated his Austin home and employed a woman with whom Paxton was reportedly involved.

Q: How has Cornyn’s campaign responded to the divorce proceedings?

A: Cornyn’s campaign has used the allegations to call into question Ken Paxton’s character, but Cornyn himself has declined to attack his rival, stating that the divorce is a private matter.

Q: What is the current status of Ken Paxton’s Senate campaign?

A: Ken Paxton’s campaign has announced its first fundraising haul, raising $2.9 million between April and June, and he continues to challenge incumbent Republican John Cornyn for his U.S. Senate seat.