Children are frequently the most difficult and sensitive aspects of divorce disputes. After a marriage ends, a couple with children may wish to live together or stay close. In this case, they will need to decide on support, visitation, and custody schedules. A skilled Dallas child custody lawyer can assist parents in coming to a fair decision that benefits both of them and their kids.
Even though the word “custody” seems straightforward, there are a number of distinct kinds of custody agreements. The best way to comprehend these arrangements is to discuss your particular circumstances with a lawyer. Some of the most typical forms of custody are as follows:
Joint legal custody is when both parents make decisions for their kids together, but only one of them has primary physical custody and the other is only allowed visitation privileges. At the conclusion of each visitation session, the parent who has primary physical custody will usually perform a hand-off or have their designated representatives do so. It’s simpler for parents with visitation rights to keep a regular schedule with their kids since they may decide whether or not to attend extracurricular activities, school functions, and other events.
Sole legal custody: In this arrangement, the other parent may enjoy unsupervised or supervised visitation privileges, but the judge grants one parent sole decision-making authority over the children. A court will only grant this kind of custody in cases when the other parent has abused or neglected the children, or if it is determined that the other parent is unfit to care for the children. To ensure the children’s best interests, judges will typically award joint or shared legal custody to both parents.
It’s a common misconception that the fathers will have visiting privileges and the woman would always have custody of the children following a divorce. Although this used to be the standard, courts are currently striving for a more equal distribution of parental rights. In Texas, the practice known as “timesharing” is a more equitable form of child custody that maintains joint legal and physical custody but permits both parents to spend time with their children.
Parents can learn about the many forms of custody and how they might impact their family, including spousal and child support, from an experienced Dallas family lawyer. These lawyers can collaborate with both parents to draft a parenting plan that specifies visitation and custody schedules in order to benefit their clients. They can also assist clients with worksheets for calculating child support, financial disclosures, and other court-mandated information.