Many people still think that courts prefer to award primary custody of the children to the mother. Although that may have been true decades ago, that is not the reality today. Traditionally, at the time when mothers stayed at home and took care of the children while the man of the house advanced his career, that may have been a natural solution when the couple split up. Now, it may be a … [Read more...]
How Does Child Custody Really Work?
Child custody is one of the most contentious issues that needs to be resolved during the divorce process. Two people who are unable to get along, and who have decided it is so unpleasant to live together they simply cannot do it any longer, are expected to work together to make decisions that are in the best interest of their children. If the parents can’t set aside their differences to … [Read more...]
Child Custody: How Do You Manage Summer With The Kids?
School is out and divorced parents are working out their plans for summer child custody. The Texas Standard Possession order provides for the non-primary parent to spend 30 days during the summer with the children if the parent lives within 100 miles of the children’s primary residence. For parents who missed the April 1 deadline for submitting a request to the court to have their … [Read more...]
The Do’s and Don’ts of Summer Child Custody
The summertime is a great opportunity for parents who are separated or divorced to spend some quality time with their children. This is especially important for those parents who don’t have equal or substantial parenting time with their children during the school year. To take full advantage of this time, you should follow these quick DO’s and DON’Ts of summer child custody. DO…Plan specific … [Read more...]
How Does Child Custody Work During the Summer?
Child custody is the most important area to work out during a divorce. It defines the time and shapes the new relationship you’ll form with your children. If you’re not the primary caregiver, you may be wondering where that leaves you concerning spending time with the kids during the summer. Paula Lock Smyth Law Offices has a few tips for how summer child custody works. How is Summer Child … [Read more...]
Father’s Rights in Child Custody
There was a time when father’s rights and custody were almost unheard of. The legal system showed favoritism toward mothers unless there was abuse involved or the mother was “unfit.” After practicing for several decades, I’ve seen decisions shift to favor co-parenting arrangements. A combination of family code revisions, cultural changes and more open-minded judges on the bench have contributed to … [Read more...]
Mother’s Rights in Child Custody
Do Mother’s Rights Differ from Father’s in Child Custody Cases? Most people assume mother’s rights hold more weight in child custody cases. This is partly true because the courts did favor mothers in the past. There’s also an assumption that mothers are better parents because of their role as nurturer. The reality is that the law has evolved to allow parents equal rights in custody cases; … [Read more...]
Rights of a parent with regard to child custody in Texas
Many people in Texas are parents. While the parents are together, co-parenting and raising a child can be a little simpler. However, when parents divorce or split up, the parenting dynamics change drastically. The children obviously cannot be in two places at one time. In many situations, the children will end up splitting time between both parents' abodes. The parents will also still have to make … [Read more...]
Creating a viable custody and visitation schedule
Couples in Texas may go through many changes and turbulent times, facilitating the need for the end of the marriage. It is by no means an easy decision for most families, especially when there are children involved. Despite the end of their legal relationship with one another, parents will usually want to continue a bond with their offspring. The benefits of this to both parties, especially … [Read more...]
How are location services used for Texas child custody cases?
In Texas, there are times when a parent must be located. For that, there is a program that the state will assist with in locating the parent. This is something that can be used for several reasons including the following: for the establishment of a court order regarding paternity, child support or medical support; to seek child support that has been ordered by the court or for the enforcement of a … [Read more...]