Family Law Counsel Arlington Texas
As a family law counsel in Arlington Texas can explain, when it comes time for a family court judge to determine custody and visitation rights, the child’s (or children’s) well-being takes priority. The court will always choose in favor of the child’s physical, mental, behavioral, and emotional well-being, and custody and visitation will be granted accordingly. The determining factors of visitation rights are often based on the non-custodial parent’s:
- Living location in proximity to the custodial parent (as well as the non-custodial parent’s relatives)
- History of criminal behavior (if any)
- History of substance abuse (if any)
- History of child abuse and neglect (if any)
- History of mental health disorders (if any)
It can seem entirely unfair for a mental health disorder to determine whether or not a parent will be able to visit their child on a regular basis, but that is often one of the factors that the court considers. After all, parents who suffer from certain mental illnesses pose a potential threat to their children’s mental and emotional well-being, according to various research outlined by the Institute for Family Violence Studies under FSU’s College of Social Work. Whether you suffer from a mental illness and are fighting for your visitation rights or, conversely, you believe that the child’s non-custodial parent, who is suffering from a mental illness, poses a threat to the well-being of your child, contact an Arlington Texas family law counsel today to discuss your visitation rights, a custody hearing, or any other visitation or custody issues.
Mental Illnesses are More Common Than You May Think
At some point in their lives, 10 to 25 percent of women are diagnosed with major depression, while five to 12 percent of men are diagnosed with major depression. Additionally, according to the National Alliance of Mental Illnesses, 18 percent of Americans have an anxiety disorder, 2.6 percent of the population lives with bipolar disorder, and 1.1 percent of the population lives with schizophrenia. One in 25 Americans have a serious mental illness.
An Arlington family lawyer understands that mental illnesses often have quite serious ramifications for an individual’s professional and home life. It is reported by some studies that 70 percent of parents living with a mental illness have lost custody of their children. And children who have a parent with mental illnesses are more likely to develop psychological problems, though, many mental illnesses are genetic. However, not all mental illnesses have the same impact on a person’s life. The debilitating effects of depression or bipolar II are almost always much less than that of schizophrenia. It may be that the court sees that the non-custodial parent is no risk at all to their child.
Let an Arlington Texas Family Law Counsel Help
No matter what your family law needs may be, call the Brandy Austin Law Firm today to set up a consultation with a family law counsel Arlington Texas families trust. Call our office today.
