Southlake Child Custody Lawyer

The Best Child Custody Lawyer
In Southlake, Texas

As a parent, you want what is best for your children. They are priority number one, and your focus is on providing a stable environment for your child to grow. But sometimes what you believe is best for your child does not align with what your child’s other parent believes is best and you need help resolving those differences. If you are going through a divorce and you are considering a child custody case, you likely have many questions about what to expect during the process and how your child’s future will look at the end of it.

• Where will our children live?
• Will I be able to move with my child?
• How will we share possession of our child?
• What if I already have a custody order and it needs to be changed?
• How does child support work?
• What if I don’t believe my child will be safe with their other parent?

If you are involved in a custody case, you need to contact a child custody lawyer near your location who will fight to protect you and your child’s future. The Southlake child custody lawyers at Mims Ballew Hollingsworth have more than 75 years of experience helping families navigate through the family law system, and we will work with you to develop a customized game plan for your case and for reaching your goals to protect your child. We can help you understand how issues are addressed in a child custody case, including:

• Parental Rights and Decision Making
• Visitation and Access
• Sole Custody
• Special-Needs Custody
• Interstate Custody
• Custody Modification
• Child Relocation

A Child Custody Lawyer Near You in the Best Interest of the Child

In determining custody issues, the court’s focus will always be on what is in the best interest of the child. This will drive the court in deciding almost everything for your parenting plan including which parent they will live with when the non-primary parent will have possession, and who will have authority for making certain decisions. The following is a list of factors that are frequently considered by courts in determining what is in your child’s best interest:

• Parenting abilities of those seeking custody.
• Plans for the child by those who seek custody.
• The stability of the home for those seeking custody.
• Your child’s desires.
• Your child’s emotional and physical needs, both now and in the future.
• Whether there is a concern of emotional and physical danger to your child, both now and in the future.
• Any acts or omission of a parent that indicate that the current relationship with your child is not a proper one.
• Any excuse for the acts or omissions of a parent.

What is a Parenting Plan?

Custody orders in Texas are referred to as a parenting plan. The parenting plan addresses issues such as who your child will live with, what rights each parent has, where your child will go to school, and how the parents will share possession. The parenting plan can be very detailed and address concerns or issues unique to your child. If a parent has problems with drugs or alcohol, this can be addressed in your parenting plan to assure the safety of your child. If your child has special needs, these can be addressed in your parenting plan to assure that your child is properly provided for. Your family is unique and your parenting plan should be too. Standard provisions may be fine for some families, but these “cookie-cutter” orders may not work for your family. At Mims Ballew Hollingsworth | Southlake Family Law, our child custody attorneys are committed to achieving your goals and ensuring that the parenting plan in your case is customized for your family.

What is Primary Custody?

The biggest issue in child custody cases is often deciding which parent your child will live with; this is referred to as who will have “the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of the child.” Often when parents say they want “sole custody” or “primary custody” they mean that they want their child to live with them. Primary custody is a major decision in your case that can have a huge impact on how your child’s future looks. A decision on who is primary most often impacts decisions on where your child will attend school, who will have possession on school nights when the non-primary parent will be able to see their child, and even which parent receives child support. If you find yourself in a contested custody case where both parents seek primary custody, you will need an attorney experienced in the courtroom who can effectively present evidence and testimony.

Why Choose Us As Your Southlake Child Custody Lawyers?

We are one of the best child custody law firms in Southlake, and here at Mims Ballew Hollingsworth | Southlake Family Law we are highly skilled litigators, and when it comes to your children we will ensure that you are prepared to fight for them in court. Call us today for a consultation.