North Texas Family Law Alexis Allen
Custody
When going through a separation or divorce, it can be very difficult for parents to agree on the custody and visitation of their children. While Texas law does offer a standard possession schedule, this in no way limits the ability for custody to be tailored to suit the needs of the parties and best interests of the children in each case.
Texas provides two types of custody, or conservatorship, over children: joint managing conservatorship and sole managing conservatorship. Most often, courts will grant joint managing conservatorship, unless there are factors present with one parent which would jeopardize the welfare of the child, such as a history of drug use or physical abuse.
Conservatorship often includes rights concerning your child, such as the right to determine where you child lives and the right to make decisions concerning your child’s education and health.
As with any issue in family law, an agreement among the parties is usually best, because parents know their children and their situations better than a judge ever can. However, parties in conflict can’t always agree, and in that case, the judge will make a custody ruling, taking into account many different factors.
Determining possession and custody of your child is a difficult and emotional process. It is so important that you have a detailed and enforceable order or agreement that will work for years into the future. In order to ensure you reach a favorable outcome in your case, it is important to work with a child custody lawyer to prove that you have a beneficial situation for your children.
An essential element of any child custody case is child support. Child support in Texas is an obligation of each parent. Texas uses guidelines to calculate child support. However, there are situations in which the application of those guidelines is inappropriate. The question of whether or not the application of the guidelines is appropriate any given case is very fact specific.
Typically, the non-custodial parent pays the custodial parent an amount of child support that the court deems adequate. This amount is based on the income of both parents, number of children, and other needs of the children. However, if you want to seek a deviation from typical child support guidelines, a child custody lawyer can help.
Child custody can be a complicated issue, involving financial concerns, health information, and expert opinions. The court will be focused on what is in the best interests of your children. Thus, it is important to work with an attorney who knows what the court wants to see.
Other Services
- Name Changes
- Modifying Child Support
- Paternity
- Visitation
- Termination of Parental Rights
- Grandparent Rights
- Alimony
- Spousal Support
- Step-Parent Adoptions
- Enforcement
- Contempts
- Estate Planning
Discounts for Military, First Responders, Teachers & Municipal Employees.
