Fort Worth Family Lawyers
When your children and your future are on the line, you want a team that tries cases in the Tarrant County courts, not one that processes them. Your fight is ours.
Varghese Summersett is a Fort Worth family law firm built for the cases that matter most: custody, child support, protective orders, paternity, and adoption. Our family team includes a Board Certified Family Law Specialist and a partner who served as an Associate Judge in Tarrant County. We know how these courts decide cases, because we have been on both sides of the bench.
Our office sits in downtown Fort Worth, minutes from the Tarrant County Family Law Center. If your matter is a divorce, start with our dedicated Fort Worth divorce attorney page. For our full practice across all four Texas offices, see family law.
The Short Version.
- Your case will be decided in Tarrant County. Custody, support, and protective orders are heard at the Family Law Center in downtown Fort Worth. Local knowledge of those courts is the difference maker.
- We weight our family practice toward custody and child support, the issues that shape your daily life with your children. We also handle paternity, protective orders, adoption, modifications, and enforcement.
- Acting early protects your options. Temporary orders set the rules for the rest of the case, and the first hearing often matters more than people expect.
- Divorce has its own page. If divorce is the core of your matter, see our Fort Worth divorce attorney page for the full detail.
Fort Worth Family Law Matters We Handle.
Every matter below is handled in Tarrant County courts by attorneys who appear there regularly. Tap any area to go deeper. Not sure where your situation fits? Call (817) 203-2220 and we will point you to the right place.
Who your children live with and who makes decisions for them. We handle high-conflict custody, joint and sole conservatorship, possession schedules, and emergency orders, and we build every case as if it is going to trial.
Fort Worth Child CustodyEstablishing, modifying, and enforcing support. We push back on inaccurate income figures, handle high-income and self-employment cases, and pursue enforcement when a parent stops paying. Try our child support calculator to estimate where you stand.
Child SupportFor families facing violence, and for people wrongly accused. Our criminal defense background means we understand both sides of a protective order, including the consequences for your home, your children, and your gun and professional licenses.
Protective OrdersEstablishing or challenging legal fatherhood. Without it, a father has no right to custody or visitation and a mother cannot secure court-ordered support. We handle acknowledgments, suits to establish paternity, and DNA disputes.
PaternityOne of the few family matters that ends in celebration, and one of the most procedurally exacting. We guide Fort Worth families through stepparent, relative, private, and adult adoptions so the result holds up permanently.
AdoptionTexas sets a high bar for grandparent access, but it is not impossible. We represent grandparents seeking visitation or custody, and parents defending their decisions against extended family.
Grandparent RightsTexas courts do not favor mothers over fathers, but fathers still have to fight to be heard. We help dads secure real possession time, primary conservatorship where warranted, and a fair support order.
Fathers' RightsTexas is one of the most restrictive states on spousal support, with strict eligibility rules and hard caps. Whether you are seeking it or contesting it, we give you an honest read on what the law actually allows in your case.
Spousal MaintenancePractical protection for business owners, professionals, and blended families. We draft and review prenuptial and postnuptial agreements so they are clear, fair, and enforceable if they are ever tested.
Prenups & PostnupsProperty division, temporary orders, and high-net-worth and contested divorce all live on a dedicated page so you get the full strategy in one place. If divorce is the heart of your matter, start there.
Fort Worth Divorce AttorneyWe Know the Tarrant County Family Courts.
Almost every Fort Worth family case is decided at the Tarrant County Family Law Center, 200 East Weatherford Street, in downtown Fort Worth. Our office is minutes away, and our attorneys appear in these courtrooms regularly. That is not a small thing. It shapes how fast your case moves and how it is received.
Contested family matters are heard in the county's dedicated family district courts. Child support and paternity cases brought by the Office of the Attorney General are handled in the Title IV-D courts in the same building. Each court runs differently, and we prepare your case for the specific court it lands in.
A view from the bench. Partner Craig Jackson served as an Associate Judge in Tarrant County and presided over thousands of family and divorce matters. He knows what these judges look for and what moves a contested case. For more on the courthouse and what to expect, see our Tarrant County family court guide.
How a Tarrant County Family Case Moves
The first hearing sets the rules for custody, support, and the home while the case is pending. It often shapes everything that follows.
Financial records, evidence, and the facts that decide the case. This is where strong preparation pays off.
Most Tarrant County family cases resolve here. We negotiate from a trial-ready position, which produces better agreements.
If the other side will not be reasonable, we try the case. That readiness is why most cases settle on fair terms.
The earlier we are involved, the more of these stages we can shape in your favor.
Your Fort Worth Family Attorneys.
Led by Division Lead Turner Thornton and Partner Craig Jackson, a Board Certified Family Law Specialist and former Tarrant County Associate Judge. This is who handles your case.
What People Say About Us.
Let Us Fight For You.
Fort Worth Family Law Questions.
Where are Fort Worth family law cases heard?
Almost all contested family cases in Fort Worth are heard at the Tarrant County Family Law Center at 200 East Weatherford Street in downtown Fort Worth. The building houses the family district courts and the Title IV-D courts that handle child support and paternity cases brought by the Office of the Attorney General. Our office is minutes away and our attorneys appear there regularly.
How much does a Fort Worth family lawyer cost?
It depends on the type of matter and whether it is contested. An agreed modification is very different from a high-conflict custody trial. We work from a retainer against an hourly rate, and the total is driven largely by how hard the other side fights. The most useful step is a consultation where we can hear your facts and give you an honest estimate. Call (817) 203-2220 to talk it through.
How does a Texas court decide custody?
Texas courts decide conservatorship and possession using the best interest of the child standard. Judges weigh each parent's ability to meet the child's needs, the stability of each home, any history of family violence or substance abuse, and, for older children, the child's preference. Courts do not automatically favor mothers. Preparation wins these cases, which is why documentation of your involvement matters from day one.
Can I modify a custody or support order in Tarrant County?
Yes, when there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances, or, for child support, when three years have passed and the amount would change by at least 20 percent or $100. Common triggers include an income change, a move, or a shift in the child's needs. An informal agreement between parents is not enforceable until a court approves it, so the safe move is to formalize the change.
What if the other parent will not follow the order?
You can file a motion for enforcement in the court that issued the order. In serious or repeated cases, the violating parent can be held in contempt, which can mean fines, attorney's fees, or jail time. Document every violation with dates and details, and contact an attorney promptly. For support specifically, Texas has strong tools including wage garnishment and license suspension.
Can I get a protective order if we were never married?
Yes. Texas protective orders are available to household members, dating partners, and people who share a child in common, regardless of whether there was ever a marriage. Courts can issue temporary ex parte orders within days when there is a clear and present danger. If you are in immediate danger, call law enforcement. If you need a civil protective order, contact our office right away.
Should I hire a family lawyer near the courthouse?
Local matters in family law. Judges, staff, and local rules vary from court to court, and a lawyer who practices in Tarrant County every week knows how each court handles temporary orders, scheduling, and evidence. Our office is in downtown Fort Worth, minutes from the Family Law Center, and our team includes a former Tarrant County Associate Judge.
At Home In Fort Worth.
Our Fort Worth office at 300 Throckmorton Street, Suite 1650 sits in the heart of downtown, minutes from the Tarrant County Family Law Center and the district and county courts where family cases are decided. When you hire us, you are represented by attorneys who appear in these courts regularly and know their judges, procedures, and local rules firsthand.
We serve families throughout Tarrant County, including Fort Worth, Arlington, Mansfield, Keller, Southlake, Colleyville, Hurst, Euless, and Bedford, as well as neighboring Johnson, Parker, Hood, Wise, and Denton counties. Call (817) 203-2220 and we will help you find the office.
Talk to a Fort Worth Family Lawyer.
Contacting Varghese Summersett does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every family case is decided on its own facts. Reach us at (817) 203-2220 for a confidential consultation.