Houston Father’s Rights Lawyer
Many fathers fall under the common misconception that the child’s mother will get favorable treatment when it comes to fighting for custody in Texas.
Fortunately, that is not the case. Courts in Houston and across the state of Texas all make decisions based on the best interests of the child.
If you are a father concerned over custody or visitation rights, seeking representation from a father’s rights lawyer should be your first step. They are experienced in handling legal issues surrounding divorce proceedings, custody battles, and child support.
Contact Skillern Firm to Protect your Father’s Rights
At Skillern Firm, our team of skilled Houston father’s rights lawyers has years of experience in dealing with cases just like yours. Whether you are the biological father or not, we will fight on your behalf so that your parental rights are protected.
Our main goal is to seek the best possible outcome for your child, and often, that means fighting to give the child access to both parents wherever possible.
After a divorce, settling into your new life is important, so give us a call at 936-213-8479 to speak to an experienced family law attorney today.
Best Interests of the Child in Child Custody Decisions
Every Judge involved in family law in Texas is trained to make decisions that are in the child’s best interest.
This means they must make rulings based on what is best for any children involved. It does not matter if you are the legal father demanding child custody or the legal mother, the decision will not be made on a gender bias. The ruling may go against either parent and will be dependent upon several factors.
To determine what the child’s best interest is, the Judge will consider:
Potential Danger to Child from Either Parent
In Houston, Texas, the court will look at whether or not either parent should be restricted due to a history of issues including but not limited to, physical violence and/or drug abuse. It is extremely important each parent works closely with their lawyers to present strong and accurate facts regarding these accusations if they arise.
To prove that your ex may be a danger to your child’s safety and well-being, evidence such as texts, emails, police reports, and/or diary entries may prove crucial in obtaining child custody.
The Parents’ Stability
Another crucial factor the Judge will look at is each parent’s stability. Each parent will be evaluated on their potential to provide a steady income, provide adequate childcare, provide a safe and stable home, and how steady their past has been in regards to these areas.
How Involved Each Parent is With their Child
In family court in Texas, the Judge is not allowed to use the parent’s gender as a reason for any decisions. Judges will, however, look at how much involvement each parent has had so far in the children’s life.
If, as a parent, you have been the one to take your child to their doctor’s appointments, parent evenings, school plays, etc., this may give you a slight advantage. If you took an equal share in attending these events, you may be encouraged to do so going forward.
The Emotional and Physical Needs of the Child
Depending upon the age of the child and what stage of development they are in, the court will look at each parent’s ability to address the current and future needs of the child. This could include the court’s opinion on whether or not the parent is willing to put the needs of the child before their own, as well as their ability to adapt to the child’s changing needs.
It’s a scientific fact that children develop better when both mother and father are part of their lives. For this reason, the court makes an effort to keep both parents involved. If either parent is seen to be attempting to influence the child against the other parent, this is a major warning flag and could possibly be a sign of parental alienation.
Parental alienation can be restricting time spent with the other parent or in more serious instances, rewarding the child for negativity towards the other parent. A Judge will be very concerned if they learn this has been happening.
Family Proximity and Closeness
If the child has been brought up in a close-knit family group, the court may attempt to keep the child close to that support network. This is one of the reasons why divorces involving long-distance relocation can be so complicated.
If you are relocating to a different state or country, you will need to work with your attorney and the Judge to consider what is in the best interest of your child.
The Child’s Preference
When the children in question are over the age of 12, the court may consider their preferences in which parent they would prefer to stay with.
This does not necessarily mean that the Judge will do exactly what the child wants. However, judges take into consideration the child’s feelings while also evaluating what is in the best interest of the child.
Hire a Skilled Houston Father’s Rights Lawyer Today!
When you agree to seek legal advice and representation from a father’s rights lawyer from Skillern Firm, you are agreeing to representation from a team with a wealth of experience and skill.
We value our attorney-client relationship and will fight to preserve the legal rights of any father who wants to see their children. Our team has years of experience in helping our clients, other fathers like you, to avoid parental alienation.
A skilled Houston fathers’ rights attorney can be the best shot at securing a result that you are happy with. We want to protect the father-child relationship wherever possible and believe that both the father’s rights and the mother’s rights are equally important when it comes to their children.
Our goal is to help you and your children transition into your new life, and with as little displacement as possible so contact us or give us a call today at 936-213-8479 to speak to an experienced family law attorney.