Typically, a psychological evaluation is only ordered when one or both parents makes a claim that the other is unfit to parent. The basis for such a request is usually to show the judge the weighty concerns regarding a parent's mental health and his or her ability to provide an emotionally stable environment for the child. The evaluation would be used to help the judge make an appropriate determination regarding custody. If you believe that your child's other parent is unfit to care for your child, your Dallas child custody lawyer may advise you to obtain a psych assessment. However, if you do choose this route, there are a few considerations you should make first, as the courts take such request seriously. If the judge learns that you only ordered an assessment to make the other parent look bad, it could work in the other parent's favor.

Considerations to Make Before Requesting a Psych Evaluation

Before you request an evaluation of your child's mom or dad, you need to consider the following:

As the divorced parents of a young child, you do not have to worry about matters like school schedules, recreational activities, and back to school supplies. However, eventually your child will be in grade school, and once he or she is, your parenting schedule and your parenting rights will change. If this is the year that your child enters kindergarten, you are in for some big changes. However, with the help of a Dallas custody attorney, hopefully those changes will be for the better.

Establish a School Schedule

At the Clark Law Group, we recommend that parents discuss a school parenting schedule before the divorce is final, even if the child is still an infant at that point. While situations may change over the course of five years (and they likely will), having a template in place for what you want for your child will help you to establish a better arrangement when it is actually necessary.

Once upon a time, it was not unheard of for a mother to receive sole custody of her children. In fact, unless the mother did something extreme to warrant a closer look by the judge, the father almost never got a say in terms of custody. Today, however, courts are hesitant to grant full custody to any one parent, and consider a full custody arrangement to not be in the best interests of the child. Only if a parent is deemed to be unfit and unable to care for the child will the courts consider granting one parent sole custody-and even only temporary full custody in many cases.

If you hope to obtain full custody, you have a long and difficult road ahead of you. Winning sole custody oftentimes requires the skill and knowledge of an experienced child custody attorney who understands exactly why a judge might grant full custody to one parent and terminate the rights of the other. If you are prepared to prove to the judge why your child is better off without the other parent, reach out to the child custody lawyers at the Clark Law Group for guidance on what you need to do to prepare your case.

Valid Reasons for the Termination of Parental Rights in Dallas, TX

Child custody is always determined by what is in the best interests of the child. When one parent is a convicted felon, or if he or she has criminal charges brought against him or her, it begs the question: Should that parent be granted visitation rights? Though the character of each parent is a huge deciding factor in child custody cases, criminal charges do not automatically disqualify a parent from taking on a parental role. At the Clark Law Group, our child custody attorneys will fight to preserve your child's best interests. Whether this means helping you obtain more custody rights despite your felon status, or making sure that the amount of visitation your child's other parent gets is limited, we will fight on your behalf to do what is best for everyone involved.

How Custody is Determined When a Parent is a Convicted Felon

When faced with a child custody case in which one or both parents are convicted felons, a Texas judge will review a variety of factors, such as:

During many Dallas child custody cases, the child often lands in the middle of a contentious battle over which parent will be the 'better parent' for him or her. While more often than not it is the heated emotions of divorce that drive the parents to battle over custody, if neither can set their sentiments aside for long enough to determine what is in the best interests of their child, the judge will do it for them. In order to determine the best custody arrangement for a child, the judge will consider numerous factors, including but not limited to each parent's work habits, lifestyle choices, and even the recommendations of outside sources. In some instances, a judge may order the psychological evaluation of the child and both parents before coming to a final decision.

At the Clark Law Group, our Dallas child custody attorneys have assisted numerous clients through the psychological evaluation process. If the courts have ordered a psychological evaluation of your family, our lawyers will prepare you for what to expect both during and following the evaluation process.

Why Will a Judge Order a Psychological Evaluation?