Texas uses the term conservatorship to describe the right to make decisions for a child. By default, both parents have conservatorship without a court order stating otherwise. The state refers to physical child custody as possession, which also requires a court order....
What are the benefits of joint custody?
Negotiating child custody is one of the most difficult tasks when filing for divorce or legal separation. In Texas, and in many other states in the United States, courts often select the person who was the primary caretaker during the marriage to act as primary,...
Petitioning for custody of your grandchild
Although grandparents are family members, their rights are not the same as a child’s parents. If your grandchild’s mother and father divorced or live in an unsafe situation, you may consider petitioning for visitation privileges or custody in Texas. We often represent...
How to talk to your kids about divorce
Parents in Texas who are about to get a divorce are likely struggling with how to tell their children about the separation. Ideally, parents will get on the same page and come up with a way to talk to their kids about the divorce together. Even if parents are unable...
How to deal with co-parent tension
Putting in a collaborative effort to raise your children is challenging for both divorced and non-divorced couples. But the fact that your children follow a different routine under your supervision, can often create disagreements with your co-parent. At the end of the...
4 less common provisions to include in your parenting plan
If you have decided to share custody of your children with your ex-spouse, you are heading into uncharted waters. While you may not agree with your former partner’s parenting style, you can likely rely on him or her to make good parenting decisions. Still, if you are...
When can I modify a Texas child custody agreement?
Sometimes, a child custody arrangement that worked well in the first years after divorce no longer makes sense. Perhaps family circumstances have changed or children have different needs in their teen years. Whatever the reason, review the process of requesting a...
How does Texas determine the “best interests of the child?”
When a Texas court must make child custody-related decisions, it is typically going to do so after a judge weighs what he or she considers to be in a child’s best interests. While the factors that ultimately help determine a child’s best interests may vary from one...
Custody and the transgender child
Gender issues are at the forefront of much of the collective American consciousness as transgender activists continually push for understanding and equal rights under the law. Unfortunately, the parents of transgender minors are now facing new threats in the legal...
How can you terminate a parent’s parental rights?
Asking the court to terminate someone's parental rights isn't easy -- and it shouldn't be. The parent-child bond is incredibly important. For the most part, the courts always hope to preserve that bond whenever possible.However, Texas law does allow for the...
