A Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR) is a legal proceeding used to establish, change, or enforce child custody and support orders in Texas. If you have a SAPCR order and your circumstances have changed, you may need to change the order.

If you are considering changing a child custody order, it is important to remember that the court's goal is to do what is best for the child. Having an experienced family law attorney can help you file a petition, serve the other parent, and represent you at the hearing.

How Do I Modify the Child Custody Order?

To change a child custody order in Texas, you must show that there has been a significant change in circumstances that affects your child. Some common grounds for change include:

Divorce can be a challenging and emotionally charged experience, especially when children are involved. Maintaining a close relationship with your children is paramount, but going from having your children with you every day to a parenting time schedule can present a major set of challenges. Fortunately, thanks to advancements in technology, video communication has become a powerful tool for parents to stay connected with their children even when they are physically apart. The following are some of the benefits of including video communication as part of your parenting plan.

Face-to-Face Interaction

Video communication allows parents and children to see each other's faces and expressions, providing a sense of connection that cannot be reached through phone calls or text messages alone. Seeing each other's smiles, tears, and laughter helps to bridge the physical distance and maintain a deeper emotional bond.

Regular Communication

Video communication provides the opportunity for parents and children to have more frequent communication. Even if you live far apart, you can set up a schedule for video chats that will work for both households, ensuring that you are consistently present in your child's life and maintaining a sense of routine.

In Texas, a conservatorship is a legal term to describe the management of a child’s life and the decision-making process for the child’s well-being. When a couple with children divorces, they must determine how major decisions about the child’s life will be made. If the parents cannot reach an agreement, the court makes a decision for them. 

There are three primary forms of conservatorship in Texas, joint managing conservatorship, sole managing conservatorship, and possessory conservatorship. Today, we will discuss what is most important about all three. During this transition in your and your family’s life, a family law attorney can be invaluable as you navigate child custody and work to preserve your child’s best interests.

Joint Managing Conservatorship (JMC)

Commonly referred to as simply JMC, this is Texas’s most common type of conservatorship. It is a legal arrangement where both parents share the decision-making process for the child’s life. In a joint managing conservatorship, both parents share the right to make decisions regarding the child’s education, medical care, and other essential aspects of their life. In most JMC arrangements, one parent holds the right to choose where the child lives. This parent is referred to as the “custodial parent.” The child generally will live with the custodial parent. The parent who the child does not live with is called the “non-custodial” parent. In some JMC scenarios, neither parent has the absolute right to choose where the child lives. Instead, the child must live in a specific geographic area, such as a particular school district or county. 

Children often blame themselves for their parents getting a divorce, and this self-blame can leave a scar on a child’s psyche; a scar that they can carry with them into adulthood. According to the Child Mind Institute, children tend to blame themselves for the divorce when they are younger since younger children are usually more egocentric. If you are getting a divorce and are worried about how your children may handle the news, consulting with an experienced divorce attorney can give you the resources and information you need to help your children cope more effectively.

Considerations for Helping your Children During this Time

It is best to be as straightforward as possible when discussing divorce with your children. Try to avoid over-explaining things and instead discuss plainly what exactly is happening without sharing inappropriate details about the conflict or the relationship’s breakdown. It is best if both parents are there when these discussions occur. During this crucial time, emphasize that you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse love them very much and will continue to be a large part of their lives. 

It can also be helpful to put up a calendar for the children to see when they will spend time with each parent. This visual indicator of when they will be with either parent can reassure children that they will indeed be able to spend time with both parents. 

It is often stated that divorce is one of the hardest things that can happen to someone. The emotional turmoil that grips families during a divorce is hard to understate. Depending on the circumstances of the case, divorces can leave terrible emotional scars that can last a lifetime. This is especially true if the divorcing parties have children together. 

There is a significant number of mistakes that people can make during the divorce process. Amongst the most significant errors that can be made is failing to hire an experienced divorce attorney. Attorneys advocate for your rights and are trained to look after their clients’ best interests while pursuing the most favorable outcome. So, if you are getting divorced, do not hesitate to hire an attorney. Aside from not hiring an attorney, in this blog, we will review other common mistakes people tend to make during divorce. 

Costly Mistakes People Can Make During a Divorce

Common divorce mistakes may include: