Texas Child Custody Lawyers
Kingwood | Sugar Land | Houston
Child custody in Texas is often decided by the temporary orders that award custody while the divorce case is pending. While these orders are temporary, they often last for six months to a year. Once a child custody arrangement becomes the status quo, it can be very hard to convince a Texas court to reverse it later.
At the law firm of Martin & Lilly, our lawyers believe in providing aggressive representation from the start of your divorce case. That means pursuing temporary orders that will put you in a good position to obtain the child custody agreement you want.
Child custody in Texas is known as conservatorship. Courts favor joint managing conservatorship when it comes to deciding major issues such as medical care, education and religious upbringing. However, one parent will have residential custody and that parent is known as the primary joint managing conservator. The other parent will have visitation according to a schedule.
If primary child custody is contested and can't be resolved through mediation or negotiation, you have a right to have a judge or jury decide in Texas. Child custody trials involve discovery and testimony by psychologists and witnesses. The court may appoint an amicus, which is an attorney who will serve as the eyes and ears of court. Depending on the age of the child, the child's preference may be a factor.
If you were not the primary caretaker of the child prior to divorce, you will need to allege that the other parent is not responsible. Sometimes it can be hard to avoid a negative effect on children in a contested child custody. However, in the end, you want a child custody arrangement that you and your child can live with for a long time.
Discuss your child custody case with an aggressive Texas attorney
For more information, contact an attorney at Martin & Lilly. For your convenience, we have offices in Kingwood, Sugar Land and Houston.
