Denton Child Custody Lawyer

Lawyer for Conservatorship and Physical Possession of Children in Divorce and Family Law Cases in Denton, TX

For parents who choose to get divorced or unmarried parents who do not live together, issues related to the custody of their children can be difficult to resolve. Parents will want to protect their parental rights and ensure that they will be able to make decisions about how their children will be raised. However, they will also need to consider how they can create arrangements that will provide for children's best interests while allowing children to maintain good relationships with each parent. Creating a workable parenting agreement can be a complex undertaking, and a parent can make sure they are approaching these issues correctly by working with an experienced family law attorney.

Whether you are looking to address child custody issues during your divorce, need to establish parental rights and responsibilities as an unmarried parent, or want to learn how you can modify an existing child custody order, Pfister Family Law can provide the legal help you need. Our attorneys have been helping clients address legal issues for several decades, and we will work closely with you during your case, fighting to protect your rights and helping you demonstrate that you can provide for your children's needs and protect their best interests.

Child Conservatorship and Possession in Denton County

Family courts in Texas usually presume that joint managing conservatorship by their parents is best for children. That is, parents will often be able to share joint legal custody, giving them both the right to participate in making decisions related to important issues in their children's lives. In these cases, parents will work together to address matters related to education, such as where children will go to school; medical decisions, including the types of care and treatment for children; and choices of the activities that children will be involved in. Parents will also be able to access important information related to their children, such as school records or medical records.

Joint legal custody may not always be appropriate, and having one parent be primarily responsible for child-related decisions may be a better solution in some cases. If one parent had not previously participated in making decisions for children, or if a parent has a history of child abuse or domestic violence, sole managing conservatorship may be granted to the other parent. In these cases, the parent who does not have legal custody of children may be named a possessory conservator, which will allow them to spend time with the children on a regular basis.

Parents will also need to address the physical custody of their children, and a possession order will be created detailing when children will live with each parent. One parent will have the right to decide where children will primarily live. However, this right may only apply within a specific geographical area, which will allow the other parent to stay close to the children and maintain a relationship with them. Even if a parent is named the sole managing conservator, the other parent will usually have the right to have the children spend regular time with them. If there are concerns about children's safety due to a parent's history of domestic violence or substance abuse, a supervised possession order may be created that requires a parent to have a third party present to supervise the time they spend with their children.

Contact Our Texas Child Custody Lawyers

Our attorneys can provide you with legal representation as you address child custody issues during your divorce, or we can work with you to establish conservatorship and create a possession order as an unmarried parent, including in cases where paternity needs to be established. Contact our office at 972-954-6455 to schedule a confidential consultation.