As a parent, the most important thing in your life is protecting the time you have with your children. In order to protect your parental rights and establish a parenting plan that protects the best interests of your children, it is useful to understand standard possession and expanded standard possession in Texas.
Custody is one of the most emotionally charged and contentious issues between parents who are getting divorced or who are not married at the time that their child is born. Although an incredibly complex issue, with help, you can find a solution to your child custody and visitation concerns that is both sustainable and beneficial to every member of your family.
Standard vs. Expanded Standard Possession Orders in Texas
Possession refers to the time custodial and non-custodial parents have their children. Two unmarried parents must share parenting time, but the way a parenting schedule works can differ on a case-by-case basis. Your family may benefit from one of two types of possession: standard and expanded standard possession. The differences between the two are as follows:
Standard Possession
When neither parent's home poses a danger to the child, judges will grant visitation to the noncustodial parent. People consider standard possession to be the most common type of custody plan. In this arrangement, the noncustodial parent will be entitled to visitation on the first, third, and fifth Fridays of the month through Sundays, with beginning and ending times at 6:00 PM. In addition, he or she will be granted visitation on Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, alternating holidays, and 30 days in the summertime, or 42 days if the child and noncustodial parent live more than 100 miles apart.
See a sample standard possession calendar in Texas.
Expanded Standard Possession
If you and the other parent live close to one another and your respective schedules allow it, an expanded standard possession schedule may be in the best interests of your child. In an expanded standard possession order, the noncustodial parent will pick up the child on alternate Thursdays when school is dismissed, and then drop the child off at school the following Monday. Visitation under an expanded schedule will normally occur on the first, third, and fifth weekends of each month, allowing the noncustodial parent to have more time with his or her child.
This also allows parents to avoid high-tension child hand-off scenarios.
Which Plan Is Right for You?
Visitation can look like many different things, and if parents are able to agree to something else, judges will grant their preference instead of the standard order. It is important for people in child custody disputes to understand that courts encourage the fostering of a child's relationship with both parents. If a parent wants a different visitation schedule, trying to reach an agreement is important.
At the end of the day, a parenting schedule should work for your family and make sense according to the unique needs and concerns of your kids. You have the right to fight for a plan that protects their best interests and upholds your rights as a parent.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution to child custody concerns. It is best to seek the counsel of a family law attorney who can help you understand your options and pursue an outcome that suits you and your kids for years to come.