Pflugerville Child Custody Lawyer

Child Custody Attorney in Pflugerville, TX

Family court matters are never easy, but custody battles are often the most mentally and emotionally taxing. When you’re going through a child custody case, you want an experienced attorney who can offer compassionate guidance while aggressively defending your rights and pursuing an agreement that’s in the best interests of your child. A Pflugerville child custody lawyer from the Law Office of Ben Carrasco, PLLC, can be your trusted ally throughout the legal process.

Hire a Child Custody Lawyer

At the Law Office of Ben Carrasco, PLLC, we work closely with our clients to understand their goals and create a legal strategy to help achieve them. From the moment we take your case, we get to work preparing for trial, even if that never becomes necessary. This gives us leverage during negotiations and mediation, as it means we’re prepared to walk away from the table if we cannot secure a fair custody agreement for our clients.

Throughout your case, we never lose sight of the true goal: creating an agreement that’s in your child’s best interests. Attorney Ben Carrasco is a straight talker. He’ll explain your options and meet your expectations. Providing you with consistent honesty, he will help you understand the realities of your situation, but will be there with you. When it comes to child custody cases, you want a Pflugerville child custody attorney who will do what’s right for you and your family.

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Understanding Child Custody in Texas

In Texas, child custody is legally referred to as conservatorship. Rather than simply deciding which parent the child lives with, courts focus on each parent’s responsibilities and rights to create an agreement that’s in the child’s best interests. There are two main types of conservatorships:

• Joint managing conservatorship. This is the most common type of custody arrangement, where parents share a level of decision-making powers. The court may give one parent the final say in certain situations if the parents cannot reach an agreement.
• Sole managing conservatorship. If there are concerns about a parent’s fitness or ability to provide a safe environment for their child, the court may award one parent sole managing conservatorship over the child. The non-custodial parent may still get visitation rights but loses the right to make decisions over the child’s life.

How Texas Courts Decide Child Custody

Texas law seeks settlements in the best interests of the child standard when deciding on custody, as outlined in Texas Family Code § 153.002. The court considers the child’s relationship with each parent, their ability to provide a safe living environment for the child, the child’s health and education needs, and their physical and emotional needs. If the child is old enough, the court may also consider their preference. If there are allegations or a history of abuse or crime, this weighs heavily on the court’s decision.

Modifying Custody Orders

When there are significant changes in a parent’s or child’s situation, you can petition the court to modify an existing custody order. In Texas, about 5% of cases filed in family court are for post-judgment custody modifications. Significant changes can include:

• Relocation of a parent
• Changes in the child’s needs
• A parent’s ability to care for the child
• Concerns about safety
• Failure to follow the existing order

If you believe there have been significant changes in circumstances that justify a modification to an existing custody order, consult a family law attorney to discuss your options.

FAQs

How Much Does a Lawyer Cost for Child Custody in Texas?

Hiring a child custody lawyer can bring a variety of costs based on their experience, the complexities of your case, and even your co-parent’s willingness to cooperate. Providing your attorney with the unique details of your case can generate a fair estimate of the costs you could incur. They will evaluate whether your case will settle through alternative dispute resolution methods or if it is at risk of litigation. No cost, however, is too great for protecting the support your child deserves.

What Is the Biggest Mistake in a Custody Battle?

The biggest mistake you can make during a custody battle is letting your emotions get the better of you and affect your decisions. This is certainly an emotional time, but don’t give in to any desires to badmouth your co-parent, lie about them in court, or alienate them from your child. The court doesn’t take too kindly to any attempts to manipulate your child or the judge’s decision.

What Looks Bad in a Child Custody Case?

Some factors that look bad in custody battles include allegations or proof of abuse, recent criminal history, or signs of manipulation. The goal of the court in a custody case is to create a plan that’s in the child’s best interests. If the judge has any reason to believe a parent cannot provide a safe, nurturing environment for their child, they’re unlikely to receive custody, and they may not be awarded any parenting time at all.

What Does a Father Need to Get Full Custody in Texas?

To get full custody, a father needs to present evidence that being the custodial parent is in the child’s best interests. Despite about 90% of custodial parents in Texas being mothers, courts do not consider the gender of the parent when ruling on custody. Rather, judges must look at all the facts of the case to issue a ruling that serves the child’s best interests. If a father can show his child what the child needs, the court may award him custody.

Pflugerville Child Custody Lawyer

When you’re in the middle of a custody battle, too much is at stake to work with an inexperienced, unproven lawyer. You want to hire a child custody lawyer with a long track record of success with cases like yours. An experienced attorney in Pflugerville can help you collect and present evidence of your fitness as a parent and argue why you being the custodial parent is in your child’s best interests.

Contact the Law Office of Ben Carrasco, PLLC, today to schedule a case review. We can explain how Texas’s child custody laws impact your case, highlight your options, and work with you to create a strong strategy for pursuing custody or visitation.