How are child custody issues determined in Texas?
Under Texas law, the standard for determining child-related issues is the “best interest” of the child. “Custody” consists of two components: conservatorship, or rights, duties, and powers concerning a child, and possession, or time with a child. Texas law presumes that it is in the best interest of a child for the parents to be joint managing conservators. Under a joint managing conservatorship, the parents can share in major decisions about the children, including education, invasive medical treatments, and mental health treatment. The parents can also decide that one person will make these decisions after consulting with the other parent, or that if they cannot agree then they will follow a prescribed procedure for making the decision. Sometime conflicts occur between parents over the issue of payment of child support, and those conflicts can in turn create conflicts over other provisions for conservatorship, or decision making for the children. It is important for parents to carefu
