Child Custody

Your child custody case may be uncontested or may involve serious issues affecting your child’s best interest. Our team of lawyers has assisted parents in every variety of child custody dispute from amicable shared custody arrangements to high-stakes contested cases.

Austin Law Firm with Experience in Child Custody Matters

Disputes over child custody and child visitation rights can be some of the most contentious and difficult family law matters. Our goal in child custody cases is to help you find a custody arrangement that meets the needs of your children and your family. The focus a child custody case is always one thing: the child’s best interest. We encourage our clients to stay focused these needs rather than the actions of the other parent.

In Texas, every child custody case starts with the presumption that parents will have joint conservatorship of the children. Texas uses the term conservator or conservatorship to describe the rights parents will have to their children. A conservator may have the right to make major decisions about the child’s health and education, the right to determine where the child lives, and the right to receive child support. Similarly, Texas law presumes that a specific visitation schedule, the Standard Possession Order, is in the child’s best interest. This schedule includes weekend possession, an extended summer visit, and alternating holidays.

These standard provisions are just a starting point for courts and parents. Parents are always encouraged to reach agreements concerning possession time and custody rights, and a court will readily approve most agreements. Courts also have wide discretion to restrict a parent’s rights to protect the children. We most often see restrictions on visitation when a parent has committed family violence, has a severe mental illness, abuses a child, or has a substance abuse problem.

The goal of every child custody suit is to obtain a detailed court order that spells out conservatorship rights, a visitation schedule, child support, and other orders in the child’s best interest. We have the knowledge and experience to help you get the right result in your child custody matter. Our experienced team stands ready to serve your individual needs and assist you in reaching a resolution.
For more information on child support, please see Child Support.