A divorce or breakup means you no longer have a relationship with your spouse or partner. But you will never stop being a parent to the children you have together. Whether you are married or not, your love for your kids will never change. You want what is best for them and to be there for them as a provider, guide and companion.
That usually means you want either sole child custody or joint custody of the children. But there is another form of child custody in Texas law that you should be aware of.
Joint Managing Conservatorship explained
Regardless of if parents have joint custody (known in Texas as joint conservatorship), custody orders usually name both parents as Joint Managing Conservators. This is commonly known as legal child custody, which refers to the right to make key decisions about the child’s upbringing. Examples of decisions a parent with legal custody has the power to help make include:
- Who the child’s pediatrician will be
- Where they will go to school
- What religion they will be raised in, if any
Usually, the court grants legal custody to both parents, who then must work together to reach agreements on these important matters. However, if one of the parents can show the court that their co-parent is unfit to participate in child-rearing decisions, the judge can grant sole legal custody to the fit parent.
Your child custody order must be in your child’s best interests. A good order will meet that requirement and be reasonably fair and sustainable for both parents. Working with an attorney who knows Texas child custody law is key.