Child Custody

Austin, Texas, Child Custody Attorney

Although there are exceptions, it is the policy of Texas that both parents will remain involved in their children’s lives following divorce. However, one parent may have the right to determine the children’s primary residence, and the children will most likely spend the majority of the time with that parent. The parent who does not have primary residential custody will be required to pay child support, according to statutory guidelines.

I'm Gregory Hitt, a child custody lawyer in Austin, Texas. I help people in Travis, Williamson, Hays and Bastrop counties resolve child custody disputes. When children are involved, it is always best to find an amicable solution, but if that is not possible, I will represent your interests in court. Even then, I do my best to ensure that children are not made a part of a divorce battle between the parents.

In Texas, a variety of factors are used to determine which household will become the primary residence for children after divorce. Generally, the parent who has been the primary caregiver for most of the children's lives will have primary residential custody. The standard possession order gives the other parent frequent and substantial visitation periods, including:

• The first, third and fifth weekends of the month beginning Thursday and ending Sunday evening or Monday morning
• Alternating holidays
• Thirty days in the summer

The visitation schedule will usually be different if the parents live far apart. Parents can also negotiate a customized schedule to fit their jobs or their children's needs.

In Texas, both parents will be named as joint managing conservators, meaning that they will share medical, educational and religious decisions concerning their child. However, one parent can be named the managing conservator if the parents can't agree or if one of the parents is impaired.

Child custody can be modified if there is a significant change in the circumstances of the parents or children.

Contact me, lawyer Gregory Hitt, for a personal consultation about your child custody concerns. My office is located in downtown Austin, within a block from the Travis County Courthouse.