How does child custody work in Texas?
Most people think “custody” means which parent has possession of the children most of the time. In Texas, the term custody is not used in this way. Primary custody means which parent has the right to make decisions about the children–such as which school they go to, what doctor they see, and so forth. The amount of time the children spend time with each parent is a completely separate matter addressed below. Historically, one parent was named Sole Managing Conservator and the other parent was named Possessory Conservator. The Sole Managing Conservator had the exclusive right to make all major decisions regarding the children’s residency, health care, education, and so forth. However, as of September 1, 1995, the legal presumption in Texas is that the parents should be named Joint Managing Conservators. The effect of this presumption is that the rights and powers of a parent are somehow to be divided between the parents or exercised by joint agreement. When Joint Managing Conservatorsh
