Eschewing the traditional 'irreconcilable differences' route, Tina said that the marriage had become insupportable because of discord or conflict of personalities, reported TMZ online.
The pair married in 1978 and have two children - Jessica, and singer Ashlee Simpson. The divorce appears amicable enough, though a stumbling block could lie in Tina's insistence that she keeps a property she owns separately from Joe.
Texas law has specific rules about divorce, notably that spouses must behave during proceedings and cannot harass each other over the phone.
A representative for the family said, "It is an amicable split and there is no third party involved. Any other related allegations are completely false. The family appreciates your respect for their privacy at this time."
Both Joe and Tina have overseen their daughters' rise to become international stars. Jessica has since emerged as a powerful entrepreneur, reportedly turning over USD 1 billion with her clothing line.