Child Custody Lawyer in San Antonio

Helping Parents with Critical Child Custody Matters

Getting a divorce can be incredibly exhausting and emotional, no matter your circumstances. However, when children are involved, it is even more common for disputes to arise regarding the divorce orders. Parents will need to decide who will retain custody of the children, how the parenting plan will work, whether one parent will retain visitation rights, and more. Having San Antonio, TX, child custody lawyers on your side can make a huge difference in how easily you navigate the child custody process and whether you get favorable results.

People who find themselves in a child custody battle often have a lot on their plate. In order to find the best legal representation, it’s essential to work with an attorney you trust and feel comfortable around. This is why our experienced San Antonio child custody lawyer focuses on family law cases, including divorce, adoption, child support, and more. With extensive family law knowledge and experience in collaborative law, mediation, and litigation practices, our San Antonio-based lawyers for family law cases will be with you every step of the way as we guide you through your legal process.

If you find yourself at a crossroads where a child custody battle may be looming ahead of you in Texas courts, it is important to consult a lawyer as soon as possible. At South TX Family Law, we can help you make the best decisions for your family and guide you through the legal process every step of the way. We serve all areas of Texas, including San Antonio. Please call us today at 210-775-0353 to learn more about how we can help with your child custody case.

How Does Texas Law Govern Child Custody Issues?

Under Texas law, the most critical factor in child custody and any other divorce-related matter is the best interests of the child. Since recent studies demonstrate the importance of having both parents involved in the child’s life, judges opt more and more often for shared custody. However, this does not mean that each parent gets equal time with their children.

It is no longer true that a father has little chance of becoming the custodial parent, nor does the father only win if the mother is a bad parent. Texas laws are gender neutral on the issue of custody so the courts must find other reasons to determine which parent is best suited to meet the child’s needs on a daily basis. Whether you are a mother or a father, if the other parent is not in agreement on custody, it is a difficult battle on both sides to win custody.

Various factors impact a judge’s decision when a custody matter comes before the court in Texas, including:

• A stable home environment
• The child’s emotional needs
• The child’s preference, if they are old enough to contribute their opinion
• The proximity of each home to the child’s school and activities
• The child’s medical and physical needs
• Whether either parent has engaged in domestic violence, neglect, or substance abuse
• Each parent’s willingness to raise their child
• How involved each parent has been in the child’s life prior to the divorce

While the couple may share custody in Texas, one parent is often designated the primary caregiver to give the child more stability. However, the parents may work together through mediation, with the help of an experienced family law attorney, to come up with a parenting plan that respects each person’s parental rights and gives the child the best future possible.

If you need help understanding your rights during a custody battle, please call our child custody lawyers immediately. We can inform you of what to expect during the decision-making process and help you arrive at the best possible scenario under Texas law.

Can a Lawyer Help Me With Visitation Rights?

Visitation rights are often at the center of a child custody battle, and for good reason. A parent without visitation rights can feel disconnected from their child, which may lead to feelings of resentment, bitterness, and even anger.

This is not what you want for yourself or your child. At South TX Family Law, we help parents protect their visitation rights while focusing on their children’s best interests by relieving them of some parental burdens. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to visitation, our experienced San Antonio child custody lawyers will work diligently to create a plan that helps both parents stay connected with the children they love during this trying time.

One thing that makes us stand out from other law firms is our collaborative approach to resolving child custody disputes. We take a proactive role by helping parents establish a parenting plan that works for the whole family, and we will continue to be there throughout your case as a strong support system. Our legal team has saved both time and money for clients because children do not have to testify in court, which reduces stress on everyone involved.

In many cases, mediation can help resolve child custody disputes before they make their way into the courtroom. In mediation sessions with South TX Family Law, you’ll work with your San Antonio child custody lawyer to discuss non-negotiable items such as visitation rights while exploring potential routes to a better future for your family. While we cannot act as both mediator and advocate for our client, our mediation training helps us to effectively guide you in the mediation process. Through mediation, we often come up with creative solutions that a court could not order absent a mediated settlement agreement.

We encourage both parents to fully disclose their opinions and preferences regarding their children so we can find a workable solution during mediation. You can rest assured that our experienced San Antonio child custody lawyer will fight hard on your behalf while always keeping the best interests of your children in mind.

At some point, litigation may be necessary to resolve an issue with visitation rights. When this occurs, it is crucial that you have someone by your side who understands how to argue effectively in court while still holding ground on certain points that are more flexible than others. Whether the argument is made before a judge or before a jury, our experienced attorneys are effective in presenting your case.

Can Divorcing Parents Determine Custody Through Mediation in Texas?

Texas family law permits parents to come up with their own custody arrangement without the interference of a judge whenever possible. Custody arrangements can be complex and difficult to decide, so if the divorcing couple fails to arrive at an agreement, the matter will need to be brought before a judge to decide.

Mediation is one of the best ways to avoid child custody battles and resolve the matter quickly. With adequate legal representation from child custody attorneys like those at South TX Family Law, you can get a better chance at finding a solution that meets both parents’ needs and protects your relationship with your children.

During mediation, the couple can meet with their respective child custody lawyers present to protect their parental rights. If the spouses do not wish to interact directly, they can have their child custody attorneys meet on their behalf. Mediation is an opportunity to make your wishes known and develop a plan that matches your needs and goals.

If mediation fails, the child custody matter will need to go before a San Antonio judge and possibly a jury. Not only is court more expensive and stressful, but it can lead to feelings of bitterness that last many years to come. Please let our knowledgeable child custody lawyers use their decades of experience to help you get a favorable outcome in your child custody battle. We’ll assist you with the mediation process and represent you aggressively in court if necessary.

How Is Child Support Determined in San Antonio?

One matter that often accompanies child custody cases is that of child support. Child support refers to one parent’s payments to the other in certain divorces. As with any divorce decision, a judge making a child support order will keep the child’s best interests in mind rather than catering to either parent’s preferences.

In general, the higher-earning parent will be required to make child support payments if they are not the custodial parent. Child support is intended to cover items such as housing, food, education, and activities for the children of divorcing parents. The paying parent may work with a family law lawyer to seek a fair ruling that matches their financial situation. Child support orders can also be modified in the future if one parent remarries or the paying parent loses their income.

Please reach out to our San Antonio legal team for excellent counsel and representation when facing critical child support issues during your divorce.

How Do Child Custody Attorneys Help With a Child Custody Case?

Whether your goal is to get legal custody, sole custody, or develop custody arrangements that are in the best interests of the child, hiring a child custody lawyer in San Antonio can prove to be highly beneficial. Complex child custody cases involve questions of joint legal custody, child custody issues such as parental rights, the child’s primary residence, visitation rights of two parents and even grandparents, and more.

Determining custody is more than half the battle during a custody dispute, but other issues of parental rights, geographical restrictions, and child support are also to be determined. In order to manage the moving parts of a child custody case, you should hire a child custody attorney with experience handling complex child custody cases. Our law firm has years of experience representing clients in child custody cases.

We understand the concerns and questions you may have as a parent facing a child custody battle, and we can give you candid answers to help you make the best decisions for your family. Our San Antonio child custody lawyer will guide you through this process every step of the way and work tirelessly on your behalf.

If we determine that litigation is necessary, we know how to argue effectively for our client’s rights while still holding ground on flexible issues such as visitation. Whether you need representation in child custody hearings or want to resolve a child custody dispute amicably, our law firm will do whatever it takes to resolve your issues.
If your aim is to be the custodial parent to your child following a domestic violence incident, we can fight to ensure the best interest of the child is protected, including a protective order when appropriate.

Can Child Custody Orders Be Modified?

Few family law matters are as crucial as child custody cases. A child’s best interests should always be the priority, and if one parent is unable to meet the child’s needs, the custody order may be modified. Texas law permits judges to review child custody orders and make changes if it can be proved that a substantial change of circumstances affects the child’s well-being.

Some reasons why a child custody order may be modified under Texas family law include:

• One parent changes physical location – If the custodial parent moves, the noncustodial parent may file to modify the custody order because of the burden it would place on the child to constantly relocate or travel for visitation rights
• Refusal to follow the terms of the custody order – When one parent is not holding to their custody decision, the judge may modify the order
• Changes in the child’s needs – As children grow, their needs change. For example, the child may need one parent more as a baby than they will as a teenager. A judge may modify a custody order to accommodate the changing needs of a growing child
• Changes in the parent’s ability to care for the child – Physical and emotional health or other reasons may make a child custody order eligible for modification. This also includes a parent proving they are now able to provide a stable life for their child

Which Parent Gets Custody of a Child?

One of the most challenging aspects of any child custody battle is determining which parent gets primary custody of a child. When both parents are fit and willing to care for the children, deciding on a fair amount of time with each parent can be complicated due to many factors such as work schedules, living arrangements, distance from one another, etc.

Some of the most common custody arrangements in San Antonio are:

• Joint managing conservatorship – In joint or shared custody, both parents have a part in raising the child, including providing a physical home and making critical decisions on the child’s behalf, such as medical care, religious upbringing, and education. The division of parental rights and duties and the extent to which the parents must agree on such decisions is tailor-made to each specific case. Joint managing conservatorship does not necessarily mean equal time with the child. Texas presumes that all parents should be joint managing conservators unless the judge specifically finds that is not in the child’s best interests.
• Sole custody – In sole custody, one parent is awarded sole decision-making authority and is designated as the sole managing conservator. However, the other parent may retain visitation rights in a sole managing conservatorship. Sole custody does not eliminate the other parent’s rights completely.

As a parent, you have a right to a say in your child custody order. Whether you are seeking shared custody or sole custody, your custody arrangement should match your ability to give your child the best life possible. With legal representation from our talented child custody lawyers, you have much better chances of arriving at a decision that meets your child’s current and future needs.

Our San Antonio child custody lawyer will help you understand what courts look for when making their decisions and what factors may weigh into their final verdict. We can also represent you as you navigate mediation or a court battle over your custody arrangement.

At South TX Family Law, we encourage both parents to fully disclose their opinions and preferences regarding their children so we can find a workable solution during mediation. Whether you are the mother or the father of the child, you can rest assured that our experienced San Antonio child custody lawyers will fight hard on your behalf as our client while keeping the best interests of your children in mind at all times.

Is Hiring a San Antonio Child Custody Attorney Right for Me?

Our firm has the experience necessary to represent clients just like you – people who want more time with their children but also need more of their independence. When your children’s best interest is on the line, you need an experienced San Antonio child custody lawyer who will fight for what you deserve while relaying information back to you regularly so that you are always up to date on the status of your case.

It’s vital that you know all your options when it comes to visitation rights. You may feel stressed or overwhelmed by seeing divorce, child support, and other family law issues in the news every day, but this doesn’t mean there isn’t a solution out there for you. If you feel like your rights as a parent are being overlooked or even violated, please get in touch with South TX Family Law right away.

We serve all areas of Texas including San Antonio. Let us help you find a path to a new future that works best for you and your family. It’s never too late to have a strong voice in this process, so call today at 210-775-0353.