The Woodlands Child Custody Attorneys
No relationship is more important than that between parent and child. At Shriver & McLean, L.L.P., our attorneys understand how important parenting time is to developing strong ties with your children.
With more than 42 years of combined legal experience, our lawyers help parents throughout The Woodlands and Southeast Texas obtain the custody arrangements and visitation schedules they need to establish and maintain strong bonds with their children.
Montgomery County Visitation Lawyers Representing Clients Throughout The Woodlands-Houston Metropolitan Area
In Texas, there is a presumption that parents will share custody of their children as joint managing conservators. Unless it can be shown that a shared custody arrangement will endanger a child’s physical or emotional health, courts feel shared custody arrangements that encourage frequent and continuing contact between children and both of their parents are in the best interest of the entire family.
In an effort to encourage more equal parenting time, the state legislature created visitation guidelines. While parents are not required to follow these guidelines, the guidelines are considered by judges when determining custody and visitation schedules, and when deciding whether to approve a proposed custody and visitation plan.
In Texas, courts use the words “conservator” and “conservatorship” to describe child custody and visitation arrangements. A “managing conservator” is the parent with physical custody of the child and the “possessory conservator” is the parent who has visitation rights. When parents share custody of their children, they are referred to as “joint managing conservators.”
Contact Experienced Child Custody Attorneys
At Shriver & McLean, L.L.P., our attorneys are experienced family law litigators. However, we often encourage our clients to work with their child’s other parent to develop custody and visitation plans out of court.
When parents are able to reach mutually beneficial agreements regarding where children live and how much time each parent will spend with his or her children, the entire family benefits. Not only do parents save the time and costs associated with litigation; staying out of court often helps prevent the further deterioration of parenting relationships and makes future interactions less contentious.
However, when parents cannot agree on shared parenting arrangements, our attorneys will petition the court for fair custody and visitation schedules that protect our clients’ rights as parents.
If you are going through a divorce where minor children are involved, or are an unmarried parent seeking to establish paternity, you need experienced family law attorneys. Contact The Woodlands child custody lawyers of Shriver & McLean, L.L.P., at 281-645-0117.