Fort Worth Child CustodyFamily Law Attorneys Who Have Been There

In Texas, even after a divorce is final, former couples who have children together must navigate an ongoing legal process affecting their parent-child relationship. This process is the court's way of making sure that the best interests of children are being met. For many divorced parents, this process begins with the question "who receives custody of the kids?" Our attorneys are familiar with these questions, because like many other Americans, many of us have been there. The most important thing to remember, is that getting a divorce doesn't mean breaking up a family.

Call our Fort Worth child custody attorneys at (817) 529.1300 to schedule a free consultation.

Types of Child CustodyManaging & Possessory Conservatorships

What most people refer to as "custody" is called "conservatorship" under the Texas Family Code. There are two types of conservators:

Managing Conservator
The "managing conservator" is the parent who has the power to make most of the important decisions affecting the child's life. These decisions include financial decisions, medical decisions, decisions about where the child will go to school, and even whether to consent to allow the child to get married or join the military.

Possessory Conservator
The other type of conservator is the possessory conservator, a parent who has the right to access and visitation with the child, but has essentially no other powers.

The court considers what is in the best interest of the child in making a conservatorship determination. As you and your former spouse navigate the legal process of determining child custody, it's important to have counsel that will responsibly advocate for the best interest of your child, and your rights as a parent.

Sharing Parental ResponsibilityJoint Managing Conservatorships & Child Visitation Rights

Texas courts do not require that one parent be managing conservator and one be possessory conservator. In fact, Texas law prefers to grant equal rights and responsibilities to the mother and the father. Both parents can be appointed as joint managing conservators (more commonly this is known as "joint custody"). However, even in a joint managing conservatorship, one parent will end up with the power to determine where a child lives.

A joint managing conservatorship rarely results in both parents having exactly equal visitation time with the child, but courts will attempt to put an order in place that allows each parent to maintain an active role in the child's life. Courts in Tarrant County, and all over Texas, prefer that the parents and their attorneys work together to determine a fair and feasible visitation schedule for the kids without significant court intervention.

Call our family law office at 817.529.1300 to speak with a child custody lawyer at Jim Ross and Associates P.C. We offer a Free Legal Consultation to help explain these legal concepts and ease any uncertainties as you seek the child custody lawyer right for you.