Child custody battles can quickly become contentious. If a couple is going through a divorce or a relationship dispute, tensions can quickly rise. When the care of a child is brought into the mix, these feelings may boil over.
As a father, you want what’s best for your child. Often, that means pursuing custody of your child. However, there’s no guarantee that a Texas Family Law court will agree. To successfully gain custody, you need to present the best possible case to the court. I’ll outline some of the key steps in the process of winning child custody as a father.
How Are the Texas Child Custody Laws Set Up?
As a father, you can be encouraged that Texas courts do not automatically grant custody to the mother. Over time, it’s become understood that the mother may not always be the best choice to be awarded custody. Ultimately, a court will rule according to what is determined to be in the child’s best interests.
For this reason, Texas child custody laws are not set up to inherently favor one parent over the other. Instead, the law has been designed to allow each parent to present the best possible case to the court. A judge will then determine who should be awarded custody of the child or children in question. Because of this, if you would like to win custody, you need to know how to make the best possible case.
How to Put On a Strong Child Custody Case for Fathers
It is important to show that you are the best option to care for your child and provide the best possible home life for the child to win a custody battle in Texas. To support your argument, you need to approach the case from three different angles.
1. Show That You Are An Active Parent
First, it is essential to show that you are an involved parent. The courts are not going to award custody to a parent that doesn’t seem to have any interest in his child’s life.
- How much are you a part of your child’s daily activities?
- Do you go to his or her sporting events?
- Are you a volunteer at school?
- Do you go to church together?
Questions like these are important because they establish that you are a parent who will be an active participant in your child’s daily life. The court has no desire to award custody to an absent parent or one who can’t be bothered to give his child opportunities in and out of school.
Saying that you are active is not enough, though, as you should have ample proof to support your argument. Family photographs, videos of you and your child, and other media can be a great way to show that you are present for more than just providing a roof over their head and three square meals a day.
2. Show Your Finances
You’ll need to present a clear and transparent snapshot of your financial position as well.
Let’s be clear here, though – This is not an opportunity to flaunt income or exaggerate how well you’re doing. The courts will not award custody based on which parent has generated more income than the other. This is a common misconception, and it often leads fathers down the wrong path of over-playing what you may consider an ace in the hole argument.
In reality, what the courts are looking for more than anything else is honesty. Be honest about your finances – whether you are doing great or not so great. While it is true that the courts might take your ability to financially support a child into consideration, they are far more likely to deny you custody for being dishonest rather than not being in the best financial position.
It’s also important to have tax returns or other financial documents on-hand to prove your financial position and validate claims.
3. Use Endorsements and Co-Parent
A good character witness is important in Texas Family Courts. The third thing you need to support your case is to have people in your corner who can vouch for you and your ability to provide for this child. Just like good references are helpful on a job resume, you need those same references for a custody case.
The judge wants to hear from people who know you, who can talk about your abilities, and who can vouch for your reliability and dependability as a father. You can talk about yourself all you want, but it’s important to also have independent parties that can support your claims. These character references can make or break your case.
Furthermore, it’s vitally important to show that you are at least attempting to amicably co-parent with the other parent. The judge will more than likely take this heavily into their consideration for custody. If one parent is alienating the other, or deliberately attempting to interfere with the other parent’s relationship with the child(ren), the judges take that very seriously. It’s important to try to always be the bigger person when conflicts arise with the other parent. Assume that anything you say, type, text, or post online will end up in front of a judge someday.
Contact Me Today for Support with a Child Custody Case
To make the strongest case possible, have an expert family lawyer in your corner. With over a decade of success and experience in Texas courts, I know what the courts are looking for when evaluating a father’s case to win child custody.
I have helped fathers just like you in Fort Bend County, Brazoria County, and Harris County win custody of their children. I am ready to help you win your case so you can be the father your children need and deserve.
Call my offices at 281-944-5485 or 979-267-7660 to discuss your situation. Let’s get started on your child custody case.