Child Custody 101

Parents want the best for their children. However, when divorce happens, there is often disagreement between parents about what is best for the children and which of them should have custody of their children. This can be a confusing process, but you’ve come to the right place.

Child Custody Issues

When fighting for your custody rights in court, these are some of the issues that may arise and the words you might hear our attorneys use:

•  Custody: The Texas Family Code doesn’t use the term “Custody,” instead, the Texas Family Code defines conservatorship, possession, and access, and child support. “Custody” is a term sometimes used to describe all of these rights together.
• Conservatorship: Conservatorship is the right of a parent (or other person appointed as a conservator) to make decisions about raising a child, such as where the child will go to school or if the child will receive a non-emergency surgery
•  Joint Managing Conservator: In most cases, a court will appoint joint managing conservators. In a joint managing conservatorship, both parents usually have rights to make decisions about the child.
• Sole Managing Conservator: When a court appoints a sole managing conservator, that parent has exclusive rights to make decisions for a child. The other parent may still have rights to possession of or access to the child.
•  Visitation Rights: The legal right granted to a divorced or separated parent to have time with or visit a child will be determined by a possession order.
•  Relocation: A court will sometimes impose a geographic restriction so that a parent with primary custody can’t move outside a defined area. This is to reduce the burden on parents in exchanging the child back and forth.
•  Child Support: A sum of money that the noncustodial parent must pay to the custodian parent after a divorce.
• Health Insurance: A court will order how the child will be covered by insurance, who will pay for the insurance, and who will pay for costs not covered by insurance.

While these are a few of the main areas that may be sorted out during a custody case, this is not everything that may be addressed in a child custody order. After a divorce, dealing with these issues can be stressful and difficult to maintain on your own. We suggest looking into a family law attorney that has had lots of experience in this field, such as our very own founding attorney, Scott Palmer. A good attorney will focus on the best interest of children involved in a divorce, just as we do.

Need Child Support Representation?

If you or a loved one needs help with legal representation regarding a child custody agreement, you should contact our award-winning lawyers. Call us today to speak to someone about your situation. 469-966-7614.