In a previous post, I have written about what a modification is and what it does. But recently a reader asked me to write about how the process works and what is required to change primary custody. Changing primary custody is not something that the courts will do lightly and it requires clearing certain hurdles.
Let’s say, hypothetically, you’ve gone through a divorce. The judge grants your ex-spouse primary possession of the kids, grants you standard possession, and orders you to pay $1,000 a month in child support. But what do you do when this situation is no longer workable? What do you do when your ex-spouse begins neglecting the
One consequence of COVID-19 is that many people have lost their jobs. According to the Texas Workforce Commission, over 1 million Texans have filed for unemployment. If you’ve lost your job or are on reduced hours, where does that leave your child support obligation? The short answer is you still owe the full amount ordered
The 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth issued a very important opinion today in a big win for O’Neil Wysocki’s appellate team on Michelle O’Neil and Karri Bertrand. The underlying order awarded Father the exclusive right to determine the children’s primary residence without regard to geographic restriction and gave each parent the independent right to make educational decisions. Mother filed to modify the orders and sought temporary orders in the modification suit. The trial court left the primary designation with Father but ordered the children to be enrolled in the Mother’s school district. In the intial hearing, the trial court made no finding of significant impairment, but later entered such finding.
Continue Reading Win: Clarification of standard for temporary orders in modification suit
Subsection (a) of Texas Family Code section 156.102, entitled “Modification of Exclusive Right to Determine Primary Residence of Child Within One Year of Order,” provides:
“If a suit seeking to modify the designation of the person having the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of a child is filed not later than one year
Where a change of circumstances is anticipated by the parties prior to entry of an order, such change does not rise to a “material and substantial change of circumstances to support modification”. The First District Court of Appeals confirmed this in their recent holding in Smith v. Karanja. Smith v. Karanja, 2018 WL
When filing a modification suit regarding children and seeking temporary orders to change the designation of the person who has the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of the child, a new law requires that an affidavit be filed with the initial pleading setting out the grounds for the request. This law went into
Children grow and change over time, as do parents. People not only get older, but change jobs, remarry, divorce, sell houses, buy houses, have problems, and successes. Change is inevitable…. right? But, how does change effect children and custody orders?
The Texas Family Code allows custody orders to be modified until the child turns 18.
