Over the past few years, the state legislature of Texas has made hundreds
of changes to the Texas Family Code. That's all the evidence you need to
understand that divorce and child custody are not matters that the Texas
government overlooks or neglects. The majority of the changes made to the Code
pertain to parent-child relationship laws such as child support, custody, and
visitation, so if you're trying to create your own custody agreement, there are
some things you should know.
Every state does things differently, but in Texas, a collaborative
approach is taken when it comes to reaching a family agreement. It's designed
to encourage families to work together to reach an agreement rather than have
one administered by the law. Should there be any disputes on a proposed
agreement, they must file it legally and both parties are required to sign a
certification to acknowledge it has been seen. They will then work alongside
the court to resolve these disputes.
Like many states, Texas favors joint or shared custody over any other
type of agreement. It's thought to be the best approach unless one parent can
prove otherwise; this often means that one of the parents is unfit to provide a
good home for the child or children. In a joint parenting agreement, a
patterned schedule is agreed upon so that each parent gets equal time with the
child or children. The goal is to ensure both parents have equal influence on
the child's future.
The only way to win full custody in the state of Texas is to have ample
evidence that the joint custody arrangement is not in the child's best
interest. Whether it be because of past violent behavior, potential for
domestic abuse, drug abuse by the other spouse, or any other reason, your
argument must be proven.
If you need assistance with your Texas child custody agreement, call Marshall
Davis Brown – he's got experience in the field and is out to get children the
justice they deserve.