Child Support
What is Child Support? Child support is money that one parent pays to the other parent in order to provide for the child’s needs, such as food, clothing, school supplies, housing, daycare, or activities. For more information, visit the Texas Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division. View an introductory video about the child … Read more >
Do I have access to medical records, school records, or other records of the child?
Unless the court has specifically limited your right to these records, you can access them without regard to whether the order gives you the right. This is also true of dental records, psychological records, and educational records. Take a copy of the court order with you when you try to access records.
Expanded Standard Possession Order
Texas law allows the noncustodial parent (possessory conservator) to request a different beginning and ending pickup time for the Standard Possession Order. The noncustodial parent can choose to pick up the child when the child’s school is regularly dismissed, and to end when the child’s school resumes. This replaces the 6:00 p.m. start and end … Read more >
Noncustodial Parent Special Election
The noncustodial parent can elect to take possession of the child only one weekend per month. In this case, the noncustodial parent gets to pick the weekend he or she wants, as long as he or she gives the other parent at least 14 days’ written or telephonic notice. This is a special election. The … Read more >
Parenting Plan (Possession or Visitation Order)
This legal document, also called the possession or visitation order, sets out the minimum amount of time the child spends with mom and dad. The order is authorized by the Texas Family Code, Section 153.311.
The other parent or caregiver is not letting me see the child. What can I do?
If the court order lists you as possessory conservator/NCP and you believe the other parent or caregiver is violating your parenting time/visitation rights, read about enforcing visitation rights. Read about Enforcement of Visitation here, or download the TexasLawHelp.org Visitation Kit.
Warm-up visitation
Warm-up visitation plans are used to help children get to know or become reacquainted with a parent they may not have seen for a long time. Warm-up time may be supervised by a close relative or friend that the child knows well and can turn to for encouragement. Supervised visitation centers also may provide this … Read more >