Ken and Angela Paxton Avoid Public Divorce Trial as Senate Race Heats Up

Ken and Angela Paxton’s divorce fight will no longer be heading to a public trial this month, sparing the Texas political couple a courtroom showdown during a high-stakes U.S. Senate race.

The case was removed from the trial docket on June 2 after attorneys for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the couple had made “substantial progress toward an amicable resolution” and no longer needed the trial.

“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 statement.

They added that the parties “remain engaged in productive discussions” and were optimistic “that a final agreement will be reached in the near future.”

Angela Paxton, a Texas state senator, has not publicly commented on the canceled trial setting.

“Celebrity cases, in particular, often avoid Court at the last second to preserve reputations and the public revelation of facts that could damage the reputation and career of the celebrity,” said Randall M. Kessler, founding partner of Kessler & Solomiany family law firm and past chair of the American Bar Association family law section.

“Often the court will advise the parties of the benefits of keeping matters private,” he added. “There’s no way to put the ‘genie back in the bottle’ once the case goes to trial and things are said publicly.”

The divorce had drawn attention because of both timing and history. Ken Paxton is now the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate after defeating longtime Sen. John Cornyn in the GOP primary and heading into a runoff against Democrat James Talarico.

The divorce began as a contested case. Unsealed filings showed Angela Paxton filed on “biblical grounds,” alleging adultery and seeking a “disproportionate share” of the marital estate. Ken Paxton denied the allegations.

Angela Paxton stood by her husband through years of legal and political turmoil, including a 2015 securities-fraud case that was dismissed in 2024 under a pretrial diversion agreement, a 2023 impeachment trial that revealed an extramarital affair, and a federal corruption probe that ended in 2025 without charges.

“Many celebrities don’t deal with their lawsuits until they’re forced to by being called to trial,” explained Kessler, who has represented celebrities and public figures.“

Judges would always prefer the parties resolve the case themselves,” he added, “so if an offer is made to make one last attempt at mediation or settlement negotiations, courts are often very accommodating and will grant a continuance if they believe the settlement intentions are sincere.”

For now, the Paxtons have avoided a public airing. Whether that becomes a final settlement remains in question.