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Child Custody

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Texas Child Custody Lawyer

Blanchard & Thomas: Protecting Your Child’s Best Interests

Child custody cases are never easy, especially when the children are old enough to be aware of what is going on. All they want is a stable living situation and for the drama of the issue to be over. At Blanchard & Thomas, our Texas child custody attorneys have handled many custody cases and we do our best to shoulder as much of the burden as possible so that you have time to spend on your daily life with your child or children.

Types of Child Conservatorships

In Texas, child custody is often referred to as conservatorship, a word which describes the responsibilities and legal rights of a parent. A child’s custodian is referred to as a conservator. Unless both parents agree on a custody plan, a judge will determine the details of a conservatorship.

The two types of conservatorship include:

  • Joint managing conservatorship (JMC): In a JMC, both parents or parties share the responsibilities and rights of a parent. However, it is still possible for certain decisions to fall under the discretion of one parent only.
  • Sole managing conservatorship (SMC): In an SMC, only one parent is given the legal right to make important decisions for the child’s welfare, education, medical treatment, and more.

What Rights Are Given in a Conservatorship?

Whether sharing in conservatorship or functioning as the primary conservator, there are certain responsibilities and duties that you are legally obligated to fulfill in the best interest of the child.

Conservatorship includes the rights to the following, and more:

  • Information and decisions about the child’s health, education, and welfare
  • Information and decisions concerning the child’s medical, dental, and educational records
  • Ability to speak with a physician, psychologist, or dentist about the child
  • Ability to speak with school officials about the child’s activities and education
  • Ability to decide on emergency treatment for the child

Is Texas a Mother State for Custody?

The state of Texas has laws that will make the mother full custodian of the child if she is not married. She will continue to remain full custodian as long as the father cannot establish paternity. With sole custody, the mother can make all the legal decisions for the child which include everything educational and medical.

Texas Child Custody FAQs

How is child custody determined?

The courts determine child custody based on the best interests of the child. Some of the factors the courts will consider include:

  • The child’s physical safety
  • Provisions for the child (food and clothes)
  • Supervision of the child
  • Emotional support for the child
  • The parent that is already the primary caretaker of the child
  • If one parent is abusive to the child
  • If one parent abuses drugs or alcohol
  • The child’s exposure to domestic violence
  • The child’s wishes (depending on the child’s age)

What makes a parent unfit for custody?

An unfit parent will fail to provide the guidance, care, and support that the child needs. Situations such as abuse, neglect, and substance abuse constitute a failure. If you are wondering if the custodial is parent is unfit, do not hesitate to contact our office for legal assistance.

Will I get child support if I have custody?

There are various factors that will affect who gets child support such as who has primary custody and who has the higher income. Oftentimes, the parent with primary custody will receive some measure of child support.

When can a child have a say for which parent to live with?

Once the child is 12 years old, then he or she will be given a say regarding who gets custody. However, the child’s preference will not be the sole factor in deciding custody, just a consideration.

What are “temporary orders”?

Temporary orders are requested upon filing for divorce. This allows matters such as custody, visitation, support, etc. to be governed while the divorce is in process. The orders will be decided on a permanent basis once the divorce is finalized.

Schedule Your Initial Consultation

We work with you on a personal level. Whether you are looking to take your child out of a harmful environment, looking to expand your visitation rights, or show why it is in your child’s best interest to live with you, our Texas family law lawyers can fight for you. We will understand your unique situation and you will understand the process as we work through it together. We will work diligently to get a fair and amicable resolution to your child custody matter, allowing you to put your case behind you.

Contact us at (866) 219-6119 today to schedule your initial consultation.

The Blanchard & Thomas "Clients' Bill of Rights"

We Want To Earn The Right To Be Your Attorneys From Now On,
Not Just For The Duration Of Your Current Legal Issue.

We Aim to Win

We play to win. While we cannot guarantee outcomes in any case, we always do our best to see that our clients come out on top. We want our clients to know without question that their success matters to us personally.

Strategic Planning

We play hard, we play fast, and we stick to the game plan. We work with every client to develop a strategy most likely to bring about their success. We work hard to ensure the strategy gives our client every advantage possible and their very best chance at success. We then implement that strategy as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Honesty and Integrity

We build our relationships upon a foundation of total honesty. Absolute honesty allows the client and the attorney to develop trust that will be absolutely critical to success in and out of the courtroom.

Commitment To Communication

We make a commitment to communication. We begin and end many of our days communicating with clients. Our clients can count on us to return phone calls and/or e-mails within 24 to 48 hours except in emergencies or during announced absences from the office. We want our clients to know what we know and vice-versa. We want to ensure they can make informed decisions from start to finish.

Client Attorney Relationship

While the attorney client relationship may not always result in friendship, we believe it should always result in mutual respect. We zealously advocate on our clients’ behalf whether we agree with their choices or not. We do not judge our client’s choices; we simply attempt to help them learn from them, live with them, and overcome them.

Our Promise

We serve at the clients’ pleasure. If for any reason whatsoever the client decides he/she is better off with a different attorney or law firm, we will respectfully and professionally do whatever we can to get the new attorney or law firm up to speed and ready to handle the case. We vow to never object to a client’s request to seek alternative counsel, and we promise to return 100% of any unearned advance payments.

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