Houston Child Custody Attorney

When it comes to the well-being of your children, you would not want to place your child custody case in the hands of just any lawyer, would you? At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, our child custody attorneys in Houston, Texas understands how emotionally draining and overwhelming child custody cases can be—especially if they involve having to go to court. The team possesses a great deal of experience handling custody cases and they are prepared to assist clients no matter how complicated the situation may be.

The team is passionate about maintaining an in-depth familiarity of the Texas family law system, and founding Attorney Fagan does so by choosing to continue his legal education. Attorney Fagan attends the College of the State Bar of Texas, making him part of the 10% of Texan lawyers that are qualified to do so. In addition, with an A+ Rating by the Better Business Bureau, the team has truly demonstrated their high level of professionalism and legal ability.

How Do You Get a Conservatorship in Texas?

Texas uses the term “conservatorship” while most states simply use “custody”. As a result, the parent that has custody of the child is known as the “conservator”. A few terms that stem from this are:

• Two types of conservators:
  • Managing conservator
  • Possessory conservator
• Two additional sub-categories:
  • Sole managing conservator
  • Join managing conservator

Types of Child Custody in Texas

Child custody can be arranged in several different ways. Both parents can have equal custody of the children post-divorce, or one parent may have majority or sole custody. Normally, the court arranges this after evaluating the parents and their relationship with their children. Also, the court will need to evaluate whether or not parents could work together in a joint custody relationship.

• Joint Custody: When both parents have some degree of custody over the children
• Sole Custody: When one parent has primary ffcustody over the child
• Legal Custody: Designated for the parent who makes decisions education, medical care, religion, etc.
• Physical Custody: Designated for the parent that owns the residence where the child lives

The courts can award joint legal or physical custody and may require ex-spouses to split their time with the child equally or in a percentage that is most convenient.

How Do I Prove My Child's Best Interest?

If the court is responsible for determining child custody in your case, then they will decide the matter in what they conclude to be the best interests of the child.

In order to act in the best interests of the child, the court evaluates:

• The child's relationship with both parents
• The parents' willingness to allow the child to have a relationship with the other parent
• The parents' location
• The parents' history with alcohol, drugs or smoking
• The parents' ability to work together
• The health, age, employment and well-being of both parents
• Child Custody Basics for Texas Parents Revisited
• High Conflict Child Custody Cases in Texas
• 11 Things You Must Know About Texas Child Custody

Why Mediation Benefits Both Parties

The courts in Texas encourage spouses to work through child custody plans together using a mediator. At the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, the firm can provide you with a trustworthy and helpful mediator. In mediation, you and your spouse will sit down and calmly work out a custody plan that works best for both of you and one that helps the children. The judge normally adopts the parents' plan unless it is not in the best interests of the child. This can help keep your children out of court and maintain a calm atmosphere in the home.

Regardless of how complicated matters may seem, the team does everything in their power to help clients reach favorable results. Clients always work directly with our Houston child custody attorneys, and the team always strives to go above and beyond what is expected of them.

For more information about child custody including custody modifications, or to schedule your free case evaluation, be sure to contact the firm!

You Might Also Be Interested In:

• Child Custody Basics in Texas
• The Impact of Relocation on Child Custody Cases in Texas
• Mistakes You Should Avoid in a Texas Child Custody Case