Parental Kidnapping Issues in Houston, TX
Have a Houston Family Law Attorney On Your Side; Call Now!
Parental kidnapping is when one parent refuses to relinquish control of their children or return them to the other parent when their visitation period comes to an end. This is a blatant violation of the rights of the other parent, which is against the law and taken extremely seriously by the courts. There are many reasons a parent may choose to resort to abducting their own children; while most of these instances spur from disputes over divorce terms and provisions, other times may be purely selfish desires or general malice towards the other parent.
If you are dealing with a parental kidnapping situation, you need to secure legal counsel who can protect your rights and fight for the well-being of your children. At The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, our Houston family lawyers understand how terrifying and emotionally tumultuous one of these instances can be. We know how important it is to respond quickly for both you and your kids, and we work quickly to help you recover custody when your parenting rights are harmed. Our team is dedicated to providing you with reputable and experienced representation and a decisive plan of action that can help you not only recover your children from their kidnapped parent, but then work to claim full custody over them so you can protect them from falling victim to a similar ordeal ever again
Call the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC today at (281) 810-9760 and let us help you put the law on your side to resolve your parental kidnapping situation as swiftly and decisively as possible.
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Traumatic for Children
What many parents who kidnap their children don’t realize is just how upsetting the experience can be on those children. Kids are often frightened and nervous when they aren’t returned back to the other parent when they normally would be. If the kidnapping parent suddenly takes them away on a long trip far from home, kids often become scared at what might be happening to them. This puts a huge strain a child’s ability to trust their parent and even other family members.
Avoiding Parental Kidnapping
Parental kidnapping may seem like a good idea, but as attorneys let us assure you, it’s far from it in every situation. Some parents may think it’s their only way to protect their children from the other parent who they believe to be abusive. Other parents may simply believe their rights as a parent have been infringed upon by the decision of their family law judge. In each of these instances, it’s never okay to retain control over your children for longer than your divorce agreement specifies.
Here are a few ways to avoid being accused of parental kidnapping:
- Do not withhold visitation time because of unpaid child or spousal support; use a state-approved method of order enforcement, but continue to grant the time as mandated.
- Do not take any long trips or vacations without first notifying the other spouse of your intent, including where you are going and how long your trip will be.
- Do not take custody of your child for longer than you are legally authorized. If you wish to keep your child longer, follow all communication rules set between you and the other parent
- Alert the appropriate authorities about suspected domestic violence or abuse against your children as soon as possible to protect your child’s safety.
Don’t wait; if you fear your child has been kidnapped by their parent, contact the authorities as soon as possible and retain an attorney from The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC for help securing your parenting rights.
