Joint Custody in Dallas

Superior Legal Representation Since 1999

At Mathur Law Offices, P.C., we have provided superior legal representation since Mr. Sanjay Mathur founded the firm in 1999. Since that time, we have continued to help preserve the meaningful relationships between parents and their children and we stand ready to help you too.

As any parent will agree, child custody is a highly sensitive matter and perhaps the most delicate aspect of any divorce. Our Dallas divorce attorneys understand the importance of your child custody case and we will give you the highest quality representation that your situation not only needs, but demands.

What is conservatorship?

The Texas Family Code does not use the term "custody," but instead uses the term "conservatorship." Conservatorship is defined as the right of a parent to make certain decisions about his or her child, including:

• Where the child lives
• Where the child attends school
• Access to the child's dental, medical, psychological, and educational records
• The right to consent to medical procedures

There are two types of conservatorships in Texas: sole managing conservatorship and joint managing conservatorship. Conservatorship rights may be shared by both of the parents, or one of the parents may maintain these rights exclusively. Further, one parent may have more rights than the other parent.

A sole managing conservatorship (SMC) may be granted when the other parent has a history of domestic violence, a history of drug or alcohol abuse, a criminal history, a history of neglect, or if there is extreme conflict between the parents over the child's religious, educational, or medical values.

Who Pays Child Support If Both Parents Have Joint Custody?

For joint custody in Texas, typically one parent is awarded primary conservatorship and will be the parent who receives child support.

In cases where there is an income disparity between the parents, the courts may order the higher earning parent to pay child support to the other parent. This is done to help equalize the child's living environment in both households.

Does a Joint Conservatorship Mean a 50/50 Schedule?

Having a joint conservatorship does not necessarily mean an equal time split between both parents. Both parents can determine a custodial arrangement that reflects the best interests of the child. That could mean alternating weeks or deciding one parent will have summers while the other will have the child during the school year.

Contact a Dallas joint custody lawyer today!

For further information about joint conservatorship and joint custody, please contact a divorce attorney from our firm as soon as possible. Due to the sensitive nature of these cases, we highly recommend taking a proactive approach to ensure the best results, and you can get started today by scheduling a case evaluation at our firm.