FATHERS’ RIGHTS

In Texas, some people have pretty traditional ideas about what a family should look like. For years, Texas divorce courts assumed that custody of children should always go to the mother by default, especially when it came to young children.

Nowadays, the law is much more balanced. But this traditional mindset still exists in Texas law, resulting in the reality that mothers make up 9 out of 10 custodial parents statewide.

Our team at C.E. Borman believes that, all other things being equal, fathers have just as much of a right to be in their children’s lives as mothers. That’s why we use our decades of experience in Bryan, Texas divorce and child custody cases to protect our client’s rights, and fight for what’s best for their families.

When determining child custody arrangements, Bryan judges always prioritize the “best interest of the child” above all else.

They may also take other factors into consideration as well, including some of the following:

• The child’s physical and emotional needs
• Each parent’s ability to meet those needs
• The child’s preference, if they are at least 12 years old
• How to best maintain the child’s stability (staying in the home, attending the same school, etc.)
• Each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent
• The child’s relationships with siblings and other family members

However, when determining this best interest, judges have in the past aired on the side of granting mothers primary custody.

As of 1995, Texas law protects against discrimination based on sex or marital status in child custody cases. This means that fathers have just as much of a right as mothers to custody of their children.

Just because fathers have legal rights under Texas law doesn’t mean that courts always respect them. Sometimes, what a father really needs is a trusted legal advocate to defend their rights in court.

Here are just some of the things an attorney can help with:

• Establishing paternity
• Obtaining sole or joint custody
• Negotiating visitation rights
• Developing a parenting plan through negotiation or mediation
• Calculating child support
• Modifying custody agreements and other court orders
• Stepparent adoption

If you’re dealing with a divorce, custody dispute, or other family law issue, it’s essential to contact an experienced fathers’ rights attorney as soon as possible.

At C.E. Borman, we understand how important it is for a father to be in his child’s life. That’s why we put it all on the line to protect our clients’ rights and fight for the best outcome for their family.

Here’s how we do it:

1. First, we sit down with you and come up with a parenting plan that best suits your and your child’s needs.
2. Then we present that plan to your child’s other parent and negotiate any contested issues.
3. If we can’t get the results that you need through negotiation, we take the issue to court and argue your case before a judge.

Whether you need an attorney to help you fight to gain custody of your child, iron out problems involved with child support, or establish visitation rights, you can count on us to get results.