According to CBS News, a number of Texas fathers went to Austin recently to support a bill that would give judges the option to split child custody among parents at 50-50 following a divorce.
The news outlet reported that Representative Gilbert Pena has proposed the bill. It would allow a court to give parents equal custody, unless it was determined that it was not in the best interest of the child. The proposal is being debated in a committee and would need to be approved before going to a vote before the Legislature.
One man who supports the bill is Rustin Wright, a Frisco dad, who said he has been battling for equal custody for his 10-year-old son for most of the child’s life. “Last month, I only got to see my son for 48 hours,” said Wright, according to CBS News. “I miss out on being his father and teaching him the things that a father teaches his son.”
People who support the bill say that kids are better served by spending equal amounts of time with both parents. Opponents of the bill say that it is not really in a child’s best interest to have an even split among parents, as his or her education, extracurricular activities and social skills could be affected when he or she bounces around from one parent to another.
Additionally, opponents said parents might end up spending more on legal fees. Keep in mind, in Texas, before a divorce decree is entered before a court, parents can negotiate custody arrangements. Only in circumstances when an agreement cannot be made between parties, would a judge step in and decide what is in the best interest of the child.
How Can a Family Attorney Help Me With Child Custody?
If you are experiencing issues with an existing child custody arrangement, or you are thinking about divorcing your spouse and you have children, you should speak to our Lewisville attorneys about your rights.
As we mentioned above, if you cannot reach an agreement with your spouse about custody, a court is forced to decide what it determines is in the best interest of a child. You may disagree with this, which is why it is important for you to seek counsel prior to your case reaching this point.
If you have questions about child custody, conservatorship or visitation rights, we represent clients throughout the Dallas metroplex. You can reach us by filling out the case review located on the side of this page.
