Texas decides custody through a Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship — a SAPCR — whether inside a divorce or as a standalone case between unmarried parents. The vocabulary matters: Texas courts award conservatorship and possession, not "custody," and the difference between joint managing conservatorship and the exclusive right to designate the child's residence is the difference most parents are actually fighting about. Audu Law Firm handles original SAPCRs, modifications, and enforcement.
What the Court Decides
Conservatorship
Texas presumes joint managing conservatorship serves the child's best interest, but joint conservatorship does not mean equal time — it allocates rights and duties: where the child lives, who decides education and medical care, and whether decisions are shared, independent, or exclusive. The geographic restriction attached to the residence right is frequently the most consequential term in the order.
Possession and access
The Standard Possession Order is the statutory default, with expanded and customized schedules available where the facts support them. Deviations require evidence, not preference.
Child support
Guideline support is calculated from the obligor's net monthly resources with percentages by number of children, subject to a statutory cap on the resources considered — and additional support above guidelines where the child's proven needs justify it. Medical and dental support ride alongside. Intentional underemployment does not lower the number; courts can base support on earning capacity.
Modification and Enforcement
Orders can be modified on a material and substantial change in circumstances — a relocation, a job change, a child's evolving needs. Enforcement runs through contempt, judgment for arrears, and license suspension mechanisms. Both are evidence cases: the parent who documents wins, and the parent who improvises testifies badly.
Possession schedules are lived every week. Build one that works.
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This content is for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship.