Child Custody

Texas Custody Modification Upheld Despite Conflicting Evidence

Published on: March 28, 2021 | by Kelly McClure

iStock-1139699594 When a court considers Texas child custody and visitation, the child’s best interest is the primary concern. The court considers certain factors, including what the child wants, the child’s current and future needs, any danger to the child, the parents’ respective abilities, programs available, the parents’ plans for the child, stability, any acts or omissions indicating the relationship between the parent and child is not proper, and any excuse for those acts or omissions.

A father recently appealed a denial of his petition for modification and grant of the mother’s counterpetition. At the time of the divorce, the trial court ordered the parties not to move from a specific area without a modification order or written agreement filed with the court. Neither parent was given the exclusive right to designate the child’s primary residence. Nonetheless, both parents moved outside of the geographical boundary after the divorce.

Texas Grandmother Has Standing to File Custody Suit

Published on: March 25, 2021 | by Francesca Blackard

iStock-902725964-scaled In Texas custody cases, it can be very difficult for a non-parent to obtain custody or visitation of a child over the objection of a parent. In some circumstances, however, a non-parent (such as a grandparent) has the right to file suit seeking custody or visitation. One such circumstance is when the person has recently had care, custody, and control of the child for at least six months.

In a recent case, a grandmother sought custody of her son’s child after her son’s death. According to the appeals court’s opinion, the child was born in 2014. From 2014 to 2020, the child and parents lived in various places, including the paternal grandmother’s home in Wilson County. From 2017 to 2019, the child went to daycare in Wilson County. From August 2019 to January 22, 2020, the parents and child lived with the paternal grandmother.

Texas Supervised Visitation

Published on: March 16, 2021 | by Kelly McClure

iStock-545456068-scaled A court must base its decisions regarding custody and visitation primarily on the child’s best interest. In a recent Texas case, a father challenged a court’s modification of his prior possession order, restricting him to supervised visitation with his daughter.

The mother petitioned to be named the child’s sole managing conservator and asked the court to either deny visitation with the father or, in the alternative, to require it to be supervised. She alleged the child had reported being spanked, being physically punished by her stepmother and her step-grandmother, being forced to stand in a corner, being underfed sometimes, being subjected to verbal abuse and threats of physical violence, and being required to stay in her room watching television for hours while she was in her father’s custody. The mother also alleged the child’s foot had been injured by her step-grandmother and not given medical attention. She further alleged the child’s stepmother repeatedly tried to put makeup on the child when she was allergic to it.

Texas Parental Presumption and Joint Managing Conservatorship

Published on: February 28, 2021 | by Robert Epstein

There is a strong presumption in Texas family law that it is in the child’s best interest for a parent to be awarded custody over a non-parent. In a recent case, a father appealed a judgment naming him joint managing conservator with the child’s maternal grandmother. A central issue in the case was the father’s argument that he should have been appointed the child’s sole managing conservator based upon the parental presumption.

Supervised Visitation Not Required for Texas Mother after Sobriety

Published on: February 21, 2021 | by Francesca Blackard

In Texas custody cases, a court may only issue an order denying possession of a child or imposing restrictions or limitations on a parent’s right to possession to the extent necessary to protect the child’s best interest. Tex. Fam. Code § 153.193. Thus, a court may only order that a parent’s visitation with a child be supervised if doing so is in the child’s best interest.

A father recently challenged a court’s denial of his request for supervised visitation and drug testing of the mother.

Evidence of Adultery and Drug Use in a Texas Custody Case

Published on: February 14, 2021 | by Robert Epstein

Evidence is important in any case, including a Texas child-custody dispute. In a recent case, a father challenged a trial court’s divorce decree based on the exclusion of certain evidence at trial. iStock-818445486

Texas Appeals Court Finds No Judicial Admission in Conditional Pleading for Custody Modification

Published on: January 21, 2021 | by Robert Epstein

iStock-848796670 Generally, there must be a material and substantial change in circumstances to justify a modification of a Texas custody order. An appeals court recently considered whether a father judicially admitted the existence of a material and substantial change when he objected to the modification sought by the mother, but petitioned, in the alternative, for different modifications.

Standard Possession Presumption Does Not Apply to Child Under Three in Texas Custody Case

Published on: January 19, 2021 | by Francesca Blackard

iStock-839381426 Texas family law includes a presumption that parents should be appointed joint managing conservators. The law does not require, however, that the parents be given equal possession just because they are joint managing conservators. Tex. Fam. Code § 153.135. There is a rebuttable presumption that the standard possession order is in the child’s best interest, but that presumption only applies to children who are at least three years old. For younger children, the court must consider “all relevant factors.” The statute specifically requires the court consider who provided care before and during the proceedings, how separation from either party may affect the child, the availability and willingness of the parties to care for the child, and the child’s needs, along with other specified factors. Tex. Fam. Code § 153.254.

A father recently challenged the possession schedule and decision-making authority granted to the mother, arguing in part that the court should have awarded equal time or the standard possession schedule.

Texas Court Has Jurisdiction Over North Carolina Child-Custody Order

Published on: January 15, 2021 | by Robert Epstein

iStock-182358076 Sometimes one or both parents move after a custody order is issued. When parents move, they often want to modify custody and visitation. However, if both parents have moved out of state, issues of jurisdiction may arise. In a recent case, a father sought a Texas custody modification of a North Carolina custody order.

Meaning of “Multiple Households” for Purposes of Calculating Texas Child Support

Published on: January 13, 2021 | by Kelly McClure

iStock-1175949984 Courts often keep siblings together; however, in some Texas child custody cases, it is in the children’s best interest for them to be split up. When one or more children live with one parent and one or more children live with the other parent, each parent may be obligated to pay child support to the other. A father recently challenged how the court calculated the child support the mother would have to pay him after he received custody of one of their four children. In issuing its ruling, the appellate court’s opinion turned on the definition of “multiple households” under the Texas Family Code.