Child Custody Lawyers in Fort Worth Fighting for Custody & Support Rights on Your Behalf
Fighting for or maintaining custody of your child during a divorce or hardship can be one of the hardest and messiest parts of a separation. Not only does that fight affect you and your significant other, but it affects your child as well. Going through this aspect of separating is challenging, and without proper knowledge of your legal right as a parent, it can affect the outcome of your child custody case. If you are going through a struggle to earn or maintain custody of your child or children, you may need an experienced family law attorney from Tarrant County to help you navigate the legal issues involved with child custody cases.
Do I Have The Legal Right to Sole Custody of my Children?
When it comes to the custody of your children, your situation may likely fall under two primary forms of conservatorship: Sole custody and joint custody.
- Sole Custody – Sole custody or sole conservatorship of a child grants you the right to make all the decisions revolving around your child. These parental decisions can include things such as schooling and medical-based situations. However, a sole conservatorship may not allow you the right to set and enforce visitation or access restrictions on the other parent. Having a lawyer sort through visitation and access rights is a major reason you may benefit from consulting with family law attorneys from Tarrant County.
- Joint Custody – Joint custody or joint conservatorship gives both parents shared rights in parental decision-making for the child. Joint conservatorship does not necessarily mean both parents will have equal access rights and visitations with the child, but both can have equal say in the important decisions that parents are faced with for their children.
How is Custody Visitation and Parent Access Determined?
Visitation schedules are typically agreed upon by both parents in the custody and visitation battle, but are sometimes dictated by the court. While these schedules may vary based on the availability of each parent, some circumstances can call for each parent taking possession of their children on a weekly basis, interchanging possession to the other parent at the start of the new week. This allows each parent to be with their child at a fifty percent rate. Other common schedules may see one parent having possession of their child for the majority of the year, while the other parent takes possession of the child for long portions of the year or through significant holidays. If the other parent of your child does not follow the scheduled agreement in place, you have the right to pursue legal action against them.
How Much Money in Child Support is a Parent Required to Give?
The amount of money you or your child’s other parent pay may vary based on certain circumstances, but it is typically calculated by the Child Support Guidelines by the state of Texas. These guidelines are in place to promote fair compensation for child support based on the total net resources of the parent paying it.
As a starting point, Texas courts begin with the “Texas Guidelines” for child support, which utilizes percentages of “net resources” of the paying spouse (or “obligor”). Computing net resources is an important and complex task that has direct consequences for the child. The manner and frequency in which a parent is paid can impact what is set as net resources.
For instance, calculating percent may work differently for someone paid hourly vs someone who receives a salary. Additional payments such as commission, bonuses, and benefits are also considered.
Is Seeking Advice From A Divorce Lawyer Right For You?
When going through a divorce, child custody and child support can be difficult to solve without proper legal consultation. Family law attorneys from Hardy Law Group, PLLC are ready and willing to provide a free consultation to ease the burden for you and your family. Child custody lawyers can guide you through the process of custody and visitation rights for parents involved in a divorce.
To reach the law office of Hardy Law Group, PLLC, call (817) 222-0000 or schedule a free consultation with us. Hardy Law Group, PLLC focuses on family law, so you can rest assured that you will be represented effectively and your family’s well-being will be kept as the number one priority.