Killeen Child Custody Lawyer

In Texas, child custody is known as child conservatorship, and determinations are always guided by the children’s best interests. Unless there is a reason for ruling otherwise, this means affording both parents ample parenting time. If you are facing a conservatorship case in relation to divorce or outside of marriage, you should enlist the help of an experienced family law attorney. A Killeen child custody lawyer at Kimbrough Legal, PLLC, could help you find the best solution for your family.

Child Conservatorship

What is generally known as child custody elsewhere is made up of both conservatorship and possession and access laws in Texas. Conservatorship determines parental responsibilities related to decision-making, with both parents generally involved. The court will only limit one parent’s participation or deny it altogether if there is a serious reason for doing so.

Conservatorship addresses key parenting decisions for children, including:

• Where they go to school
• Their religious upbringing
• The health care they receive
• The extracurricular activities they participate in

When it comes to parenting plans, you and your co-parent can continue making these decisions together the way you may have if you were a couple, or you can choose a different approach. If you cannot agree on some of these decisions, a conservatorship attorney in Killeen could step in and help with negotiations or help you take the decision-making to a court hearing.

A court typically designates one parent in the role of primary conservator, with the other parent considered the non-primary parent. This means the children make their main home with the primary conservator, which must be within a certain mileage of the other parent as determined by the court.

Possession and Access

Possession determines the parenting schedule you and your co-parent adhere to. If one parent receives more overnights than the other, they take on the primary conservator role. In some cases, parents share parenting time more evenly. Access refers to the right of both parents to have communication with and access to their children when not in possession of them, whether via video calls, attending sports games to support them, or simply texting them.

As mentioned, every decision is based on what is best for the children, and the state strives to maximize the amount of time the children spend with each parent. If there are disagreements about whether or not one parent should have primary possession of the children, a Killeen attorney could help.

What Are the Best Interest Factors That Courts Use?

The best interest factors that courts use when ruling in conservatorship cases include:

• The children’s ages and developmental stages
• Each parent’s commitment to successful co-parenting
• The depth of the relationships that each parent has forged with the children
• Whether there are any concerns related to child abuse, neglect, or domestic violence
• The children’s unique physical, educational, and emotional needs, including any special needs
• Each parent’s ability to provide the children with a suitable home and adequately address their needs
• How well the children’s current living situation serves their needs in terms of home, school, and community
• Each parent’s commitment to fostering a close and loving relationship between the children and their other parent

A lawyer from our firm could further explain how courts determine what is in the children’s best interests during conservatorship cases in Killeen.

Negotiating Arrangements That Work for Your Family

You and your co-parent can try to negotiate conservatorship terms between yourselves. Doing so allows you to maintain parental decision-making rights between the two of you rather than seeking court intervention. Nobody knows your children’s needs better than you as parents. However, it is still recommended to seek out trusted legal guidance from a conservatorship attorney during this process, as it could make a serious difference in how your Killeen case is resolved.

If negotiations stall, you have the option of mediation. This involves you and your lawyer meeting with your co-parent and their lawyer, along with a professional mediator. The goal of mediation is to expand upon the compromises you have reached so far. When both parents are committed to the process, it can be highly effective.

Contact a Killeen Attorney for Help With Your Child Conservatorship Case

A skilled Killeen child custody lawyer could help you negotiate terms that protect your rights as a parent and support you and your children. Your parental rights are paramount, so you should not navigate this complex legal process alone. Contact Kimbrough Legal, PLLC online or give us a call today for assistance.