Child Custody Lawyer in Round Rock, TX I Pennington Law

Understanding Types of Child Custody in Texas

Custody can be awarded in one of two ways. There can be sole custody, wherein one parent has control. And there can be joint custody, where authority and control are shared. Texas law starts with the presumption that the best interests of the child are served by each parent having an equal say in the life of their child. If a parent believes they should have sole custody, the responsibility lies with their Round Rock child custody attorney to demonstrate why.

Furthermore, custody is split into two different categories. There is physical custody and there is legal custody. It’s possible for a parent to have sole custody in one area and joint in the other.

Physical custody refers to where the children’s primary residence will be.
Legal custody refers to decision-making authority on important areas of the children’s lives–like religion, education, and medical care.

It’s possible then, for a Texas court to conclude that the best interests of the child are served by one parent having sole physical custody (with visitation rights for the non-custodial parent), while joint authority is maintained for legal custody decisions.

The reason is this–the sole, overriding factor in all child custody decisions is what is the best interests of the child? The uniqueness of every single circumstance means that the best interests of the child might not always align with what each parent might consider fair.

A prime example might be: A divorce where one parent is going to keep the house the family has been living in, with the other parent buying a new home a short distance away.

Under this scenario, both parents are responsible, and each have a reasonable claim to share joint physical custody. This might involve the kids trading off weeks or months at each parent’s house.
But a court might conclude that the best interests of the child are having the stability of staying full-time in the same house that they’ve been living in.

In this example, we’re assuming two responsible parents, so the court will keep joint custody for legal decision-making, but award sole custody on the issue of where the children live.

How Does Sole Custody in Texas Work?

Sole custody in Texas, also known as sole managing conservatorship, grants one parent exclusive rights and responsibilities regarding the child’s upbringing. In this arrangement, the custodial parent has the authority to make decisions about the child’s education, healthcare, and general welfare without consulting the non-custodial parent.

To obtain sole custody in Texas, the custodial parent must demonstrate to the court that granting sole custody is in the child’s best interests and that the non-custodial parent poses a risk to the child’s safety or well-being. Factors such as the non-custodial parent’s history of abuse, neglect, substance abuse, or criminal activity may influence the court’s decision.

It’s essential to note that even in cases of sole custody, the non-custodial parent typically retains visitation rights unless deemed unfit by the court. Additionally, Texas family courts generally prefer shared custody arrangements that allow both parents to play an active role in their child’s life whenever possible. Therefore, sole custody is usually awarded only in situations where joint custody is not feasible or poses a risk to the child’s safety. Consulting with a knowledgeable child custody lawyer in Round Rock, TX, like Pennington Law, can provide valuable guidance and legal representation throughout the custody process.

Get Support from Our Round Rock Child Custody Lawyers

Looking for expert guidance in Texas child custody matters? Trust Pennington Law in Round Rock, TX. Our dedicated team of child custody attorneys understands the complexities of family law and will advocate for the best interests of you and your child. Contact us today for compassionate legal support tailored to your needs

We will always be grateful to Tyler and his team!

I truly am impressed at not only how professional, knowledgeable, hardworking, and thorough the Tyler Pennington law firm was but also by how they made us feel that our case was a top priority. We were very well served and we always felt like we were part of a team with powerful resources representing us. Tyler and his staff were able to secure for us a very good settlement. We will always be grateful to him and his team!

I felt very supported both personally and professionally.

I had a very good experience with Pennington Law. We came across many struggles in my case and Tyler consistently gave good guidance. He focused on the case itself when dealing with the judge and other attorneys and did not play into the games. I felt very supported both personally and professionally. Thank you Tyler.

Tyler Pennington has been a dependable and knowledgeable attorney

Tyler Pennington has been a dependable and knowledgeable attorney, helping me navigate multiple legal matters over the years. His professionalism and attention to detail have consistently made a challenging process much more manageable. I’ve always appreciated how clearly he explains everything and keeps me informed throughout. If you’re looking for an attorney who is reliable, thorough, and easy to work with, I would definitely recommend Tyler Pennington.

We highly recommend Tyler to any family in need of a skilled and compassionate Attorney.

Tyler Pennington served as the Attorney Ad Litem for our children during our divorce, and we couldn’t be more grateful for his dedication and professionalism. He took the time to truly listen to our children, ensuring their voices were heard and their best interests remained the priority. Tyler handled the process with care, fairness, and compassion, making an incredibly difficult situation more manageable for our family. His expertise and commitment to advocating for our children were evident at every step. We highly recommend Tyler to any family in need of a skilled and compassionate Attorney. Thank you, Tyler. Kim Westphal, Realtor

I highly recommend Tyler Pennington with Pennington Law.

Tyler has been my lawyer for a few years and recently assisted me with a court case dismissal. This was a tough case and Tyler did an excellent job representing me. I was present for the pretrial hearing and observe how impressive he was interacting with the county attorneys and I could see how well-respected Tyler was in the court room. I am glad and grateful to have Tyler on my side. If you want a professional, knowledgeable, hardworking, and thorough attorney, I highly recommend Tyler Pennington with Pennington Law.

Mr. Pennington replied in a timely manner.

Mr. Pennington replied in a timely manner. He gave us the best, honest, and straight- forward legal advice. He is very helpful and sincere with his legal opinion. We got to talk to him for the first, free consultation. Due to out complicated case, we cannot pursue at this time. We just want to thank him for his time. Thank you again.

She worked hard and fought for my rights as a dad

Hired Jessica in a complicated family law case. She worked hard and fought for my rights as a dad and her and her staff were available then and still are now. I recommend her to anyone and would hire her again if I needed to.

I would recommend Tyler to anyone in need of a down to earth defense attorney.

I’ve had a few lawyers for a few different cases, pricing was fair and I got the representation that I needed. I would recommend Tyler to anyone in need of a down to earth defense attorney.

He was thorough in both his understanding of my needs and goals with my case

Tyler is an outstanding lawyer. He was thorough in both his understanding of my needs and goals with my case and was able to help me understand anything I was not clear on in regards to the lengthy and confusing legal process. He was always there and made a significant difference in the outcome of my case. I have unfortunately been involved with several legal teams and Pennington Law is by far the most skilled and appreciated I’ve hired.

We got exactly what we wanted at the end of the day.

My husband and I hired Tyler for a modification hearing for Child support. After hearing our situation, he was confident that we had a strong enough case to go for full custody to get my stepson. He respected all our decisions, and was fully prepared at the hearing. We got exactly what we wanted at the end of the day. Thank you Tyler!

I felt comfortable every step of the way.

I first met Tyler, and his staff, the summer of 2015. My ex filed for custody of our son, and he was over $19,000 behind in child support. My ex has always been very aggressive and intimidating. Tyler, and those in his office, took care of everything for me. I felt comfortable every step of the way. If there was something that I didn’t understand, things were explained and my nervousness was put to ease. I have spoken to other attorneys before, and never felt like they were really on my team, until now.
Tyler was aggressive, yet fair. I appreciated that he was honest with me about the case. (If there was something I wanted, or didn’t want, he never gave me false hope.).
By the end of things, I ended up winning my case, and walked away with more than I expected. I am more than pleased with the work done by Tyler, Jessi, and Geoff. I will forever be grateful!!

Child Custody Solutions in Round Rock, TX

Understanding Types of Child Custody in Texas

How Does Sole Custody in Texas Work?

Get Support from Our Round Rock Child Custody Lawyers