Fort Worth Child Custody Lawyer

Trusted family law attorneys with over 12 years of child custody experience in Texas.

If you’re dealing with a custody dispute in Fort Worth, TX, we know that you may be worried about maintaining a relationship with your children. At Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC, we have handled child custody cases in Fort Worth since 2013. Our Fort Worth, TX child custody lawyer knows the pressure that parents may be under to continue taking care of their children. For guidance in obtaining custody of your child, reach out to us now to schedule a consultation.

Child Custody Attorney Fort Worth, TX

The real work in a custody matter usually happens long before going to court. For instance, it’s the parenting plan negotiations that happen at a conference table, the documentation gathered over months, and the temporary orders hearing that sets the tone for everything that follows. Getting those early stages right matters more than most people realize when they first contact us for support.

Texas structures custody around conservatorship. This term covers two distinct aspects, including legal conservatorship (the right to make decisions about a child’s life) and physical possession (determines the actual schedule). Courts almost always look at the same central question, which is what arrangement serves the best interest of the child. How courts answer that depends on a specific set of factors under Texas law. Knowing those factors, and presenting your situation clearly against them, is where legal representation makes a concrete difference.

Types of Child Custody Cases We Handle in Fort Worth

We represent parents across a wide range of custody matters in Fort Worth and throughout Tarrant County. We understand that the circumstances vary, and the approach we take reflects that.

• Sole and joint conservatorship. Joint managing conservatorship is common in Texas, but it doesn’t automatically mean equal time. The terms inside a conservatorship order determine what it actually looks like in practice. We help clients understand the difference and negotiate agreements.

• Divorce. When a marriage ends and children are involved, custody, support, and property division all move through the same proceeding. We handle the custody dimension of contested divorces without losing sight of the bigger picture.

• Child visitation and possession schedules. Texas has a standard possession order for visitation. For others, work schedules, geography, the child’s age, or special circumstances make a customized schedule the better path.

• Child support. Support and custody are legally separate, but they’re connected in practice. A possession arrangement directly affects how support is calculated. We review arrangements before agreements are finalized.

• Custody modifications. A final order isn’t necessarily permanent. Jobs change, parents remarry, kids get older and their needs shift. Seeking a modification requires demonstrating a material and substantial change since the last order was entered.

• Parental relocation disputes. When one parent wants to move and take the child, the other often has standing to contest it. The outcome depends on the language of the existing order, the reason for the move, and how the court weighs the child’s best interest under those specific facts.

• Enforcement of custody orders. A court order only works if both parties follow it. When a co-parent isn’t complying with custody orders, there are legal remedies. We’ve helped clients pursue enforcement actions in Tarrant County.

• Paternity and SAPCR actions. Unmarried parents establish custody rights through a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship. For fathers especially, establishing paternity is often the necessary first step toward any formal conservatorship rights.

Why Choose Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC for Child Custody in Fort Worth, TX?

Deep Roots in Tarrant County Family Law

Brandy M. Austin opened this firm in May 2013 with $300. Our firm was built from the ground up, with intention, and inside this community. Our family lawyer in Fort Worth, TX has been practicing Texas family law since 2008 and has handled family law matters for over a decade.

Attorney Austin currently serves as President-Elect of the Tarrant County Trial Lawyers and holds membership in the Tarrant County Bar Association, the Arlington Bar Association, and the Diversity Law Institute. She is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and an Associate Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America. Super Lawyers named her a Rising Star from 2015 through 2018. Fort Worth Magazine recognized her as a Top Attorney during the same period. The American Institute of Legal Counsel awarded her its 10 Best Client Satisfaction designation.

Results That Matter

What we focus on is whether the final arrangement actually protects your child and your rights as a parent over the long term. We’ve secured favorable outcomes, including conservatorship terms, workable possession schedules, and successful modifications for clients across Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Contact our team today for further assistance.

Understanding Child Custody Cases

Types of Custody and Best Interest Factors

Texas law draws a clear line between two types of conservatorship. Managing conservatorship covers decision-making authority, where the child goes to school, who provides medical care, and how religion is practiced in the home. Possessory conservatorship covers the physical schedule. Most Texas orders name both parents as joint managing conservators, with one parent designated to set the child’s primary residence. Every custody determination runs through the same standard, which is the best interest of the child. Courts assess this standard against a defined set of factors:

• The child’s physical and emotional needs, present and future
• Each parent’s ability to actually meet those needs
• The stability of each home environment
• Any history of family violence, abuse, or neglect
• The child’s preferences, when the child is old enough to express them meaningfully
• Each parent’s plans and programs for the child going forward
• Any conduct by either parent that calls the parenting relationship into question

Important Aspects in Your Child Custody Case

Every case is different, but here are aspects of your child custody case that we can discuss further with you to prepare you for the steps ahead:

• Start documenting early: Texts, emails, school pickup records, attendance at medical appointments. These create a factual record of involvement that carries real weight.
• Social media is evidence: Posts, check-ins, photos, and comments have shown up in custody proceedings. What you put out publicly can be used to characterize your judgment.
• Consistency gets noticed: Showing up for scheduled time, school events, and appointments, reliably and without drama, is part of the picture a judge sees.
• Written parenting plan: Clients who come in with a considered plan for how daily life will work post-separation are taken more seriously.
• Informal arrangements: A handshake agreement with a co-parent isn’t a court order. And custody modifications in Texas require going back to court, not just reaching a new understanding and agreement.

Child Custody Case Timeline

No two cases move on the same schedule, but most custody proceedings in Tarrant County follow a recognizable sequence.

• Filing and service: The petition is filed and formally served on the other party, and the case is now officially open.
• Temporary orders: In contested cases, a temporary orders hearing is usually scheduled early. What gets decided here controls the custody arrangement while the rest of the case is pending.
• Discovery: Both sides exchange documents and relevant information. The length of this phase depends almost entirely on how much is contested.
• Mediation: Tarrant County courts require mediation before most final trials. A meaningful number of custody cases resolve here without going further.
• Trial and final order: Cases that don’t settle go before a judge. A final order is entered and governs conservatorship and possession until circumstances change enough to warrant a modification.

What to Bring to Your Child Custody Consultation

There is certain information that we suggest bringing with you to your consultation, but if you don’t have everything yet, that’s still okay. We can gather other details as we need as your child custody case proceeds:

• Any existing court orders involving the child, including prior custody, support, or protective orders.
• Relevant communications, particularly texts or emails documenting co-parenting disputes.
• School records or medical records if you have them available.
• A rough timeline of the custody situation and any significant events that led you here.

Texas Legal Resources for Child Custody

Texas family law governing conservatorship, possession, and the parent-child relationship comes primarily from the Texas Family Code. These resources are a starting point for locating relevant statutes and understanding how the law is structured.

• Texas Legislature Online: Publishes the full Texas Family Code, including Title 5, which governs conservatorship, possession orders, and the parent-child relationship.
• Texas State Law Library: Offers free public access to legal research tools and family law guides for Texas residents.
• Tarrant County Courts: Provides information on local family court divisions, docket procedures, and available self-help resources.
• Texas Attorney General’s Office: Administers child support services statewide and provides enforcement and modification resources.
• Texas Law Help: Offers plain-language guides on custody, conservatorship, and the SAPCR process specifically for Texas residents navigating the system.

Reach Out to Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC to Schedule a Consultation

Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC offers consultations for custody matters. We understand the stress you may be under, worrying about how to legally secure a continued relationship with your child. We can offer advice and guidance as your child custody can proceed that places you in the best light possible for the outcome you want. Contact us to schedule a time to talk through your situation.