As you are in the process of getting a divorce, there are many important issues that need to be worked out, especially if there are children involved. One of those important things is the visitation of the non-custodial parent. The visitation is one of the important issues that must be worked out before the divorce is considered final.
Visitation should be worked out before you and your spouse end up in court to finalize the divorce in front of a judge. Once you have established visitation and the divorce is considered final, if the non-custodial parent is not adhering to the visitation schedule with the child, you may need a court order to ensure that the other parent does follow the visitation schedule. With the court order, if the other parent still refuses to follow the schedule, there will be negative consequences for them. The court order should be considered the last resort in such a situation.
What does Texas consider visitation?
In Texas, child visitation is considered part of the child support establishment process. District or county courts in Texas are responsible for enforcing visitation. It is never in the hands of child support courts. Before you actually go to court, you have some options from which to choose:
- Attempt to work out the issue with the child’s other parent. If you are both unable to do that, you may wish to involve a mediator (either one that you and the other parent choose or a court-appointed mediator).
- Hire an attorney to represent you in this matter.
- Represent yourself in court.
Children need a schedule to flourish
In a divorce situation, your ability to spend quality time with your child is essential to your relationship. The best possible scenario is that you are able to work out the visitation issues without anyone else’s help, you may have to get help from a mediator or the court. In many cases, emotions run too high and then the people involved make the wrong decisions. However, you cannot let your child suffer because of that. It is important to make an agreement with the child’s other parent and to stick to that agreement. If it isn’t working, you will both need to agree to modify it in a way that is acceptable to both of you.
Legal support to help you through visitation obstacles
Divorce is often challenging and usually comes with several issues that need to be resolved. Getting the advice of an experienced Texas divorce attorney can really make a tremendous difference in your case and can help you to come to an agreement with your child’s other parent so that the child has a positive experience with both parents. The child’s best interest is your top priority and providing your child with a happy, healthy life is of the utmost importance to everyone concerned.