Child Custody in Fort Worth
In Texas, child custody is legally called conservatorship. It is the right to make decisions about your child’s life — where your child lives, where they go to school in Fort Worth ISD, Keller ISD, or another Tarrant County district, and what medical care they receive.
If you live in Fort Worth or anywhere in Tarrant County, your custody case will be decided in one of the Tarrant County family district courts in downtown Fort Worth. Our Fort Worth child custody lawyers appear in these courts every week and know how each judge approaches custody disputes.
Why Hire Our Fort Worth Child Custody Lawyers?
The firms ranking alongside us lead with experience — and so do we. Varghese Summersett is headquartered in downtown Fort Worth, minutes from the Family Law Center, and our family law team handles custody disputes, modifications, enforcement, and relocation cases in Tarrant County courtrooms every week.
- Board Certified leadership — our family law team includes Craig Jacobson, Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction earned by a small fraction of Texas attorneys.
- 80+ years of combined local family law experience — in Tarrant County courtrooms, before Tarrant County judges.
- More than 1,100 five-star Google reviews from clients across Fort Worth and North Texas.
- Named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing companies three times — a firm built in Fort Worth, for Fort Worth families.
Where Are Child Custody Cases Heard in Fort Worth?
Custody cases for Fort Worth families are filed with the Tarrant County District Clerk and randomly assigned to one of the six Tarrant County family district courts at the Family Law Center, 200 E. Weatherford Street in downtown Fort Worth — a few blocks from our office. Knowing how the specific judge assigned to your case approaches custody disputes is one of the biggest advantages of hiring a local attorney who appears in these courts every week.
Types of Child Custody (Conservatorship) in Texas
Joint Managing Conservatorship
Both parents share the rights and duties of raising the child. This is the presumption in Tarrant County courts — judges start from the position that children benefit from both parents being involved.
Sole Managing Conservatorship
One parent has the exclusive right to make major decisions for the child. Fort Worth judges grant this only when there is a strong reason, such as family violence, child abuse or neglect, a serious criminal history, or a parent’s absence from the child’s life.
Possessory Conservatorship
The noncustodial parent. This parent typically pays child support and has court-ordered visitation, usually under a Standard Possession Order.
| Type | Who Decides for the Child | When Tarrant County Courts Use It |
|---|---|---|
| Joint Managing Conservator | Both parents share decision-making, though one parent usually has the exclusive right to designate the child’s primary residence. | The default in most Fort Worth custody cases when both parents are fit. |
| Sole Managing Conservator | One parent makes the major decisions about residence, education, and medical care. | Cases involving family violence, abuse, neglect, or an absent parent. |
| Possessory Conservator | Has visitation rights and limited decision-making during periods of possession. | The noncustodial parent in most Tarrant County orders. |
How Do Fort Worth Judges Decide Child Custody?
Tarrant County family courts decide custody based on the best interest of the child. Texas courts apply the Holley factors, which include:
- The child’s wishes — a child 12 or older can tell the judge their preference, though it is not binding.
- The child’s emotional and physical needs, now and in the future.
- Any danger to the child in either parent’s home.
- Each parent’s parenting abilities — involvement in school, activities, and daily care.
- Programs available to help each parent provide a stable home.
- Each parent’s plans for the child — schooling, housing, and care.
- The stability of each home.
- Acts or omissions suggesting the parent-child relationship is not a proper one.
- Any excuse for those acts or omissions.
Practical questions Fort Worth judges often weigh: Who feeds and cares for the child day to day? Who handles school drop-off and homework? Who takes the child to the pediatrician? Who attends parent-teacher conferences and Saturday games?
Texas courts do not consider a parent’s gender, marital status, or religion — and a parent with a history of family violence cannot be named a joint or sole managing conservator.
What Is the Standard Possession Order in Tarrant County?
Most Fort Worth custody orders follow the Texas Standard Possession Order. The schedule depends on how far apart the parents live.
Parents within 100 miles of each other (for example, one parent in Fort Worth and the other in Arlington, Weatherford, or Denton) — the noncustodial parent gets:
- The first, third, and fifth weekends of each month
- Thursday evenings during the school year
- Alternating holidays
- 30 days each summer
Parents more than 100 miles apart (for example, one parent in Fort Worth and the other in Houston or San Antonio) — the noncustodial parent gets:
- One weekend per month
- No mid-week visitation
- Alternating holidays
- 42 days each summer
- Every spring break
Tarrant County judges can modify these schedules when it is in the child’s best interest — for example, stepping up visitation gradually for a parent who has had little contact with a very young child.
Can You Modify a Child Custody Order in Fort Worth?
Yes. A modification suit is filed in the same Tarrant County court that issued the original order, usually before the same judge. Your attorney drafts a motion explaining why the existing order no longer serves the child’s best interest, serves the other parent, and presents evidence at a hearing at the Family Law Center.
The court’s main concerns are the child’s best interest, stability in the child’s life, avoiding repeated litigation, and keeping both parents involved.
Can Grandparents Get Custody or Visitation in Tarrant County?
Sometimes. A grandparent can file for custody when it is in the child’s best interest, and a grandparent who becomes the custodial caregiver can seek child support from the parents. A Tarrant County court may also grant grandparent visitation when:
- The child’s parents are divorced
- The child has been abused or neglected
- A parent is incarcerated, incompetent, or deceased
- The parents’ rights have been terminated
- The child has lived with the grandparent for at least six months
Can You Move Away From Fort Worth With Your Child?
Usually not without court approval. Most Tarrant County custody orders include a geographic restriction — commonly limiting the child’s residence to Tarrant County and contiguous counties (such as Dallas, Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise counties). To relocate beyond that area, even for a job or school, you generally must ask the court to modify the order and show why the move serves the child’s best interest.
Can a Child Choose Which Parent to Live With?
No. A child 12 or older can tell the Tarrant County judge their preference, and judges do listen — but the child’s wishes are only one factor. The judge makes the final decision based on the child’s best interest.
What Is a SAPCR in Tarrant County?
A Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR) is the lawsuit that asks a Tarrant County court to make custody, visitation, and support orders. It is filed with the Tarrant County District Clerk and assigned to one of the six family district courts in Fort Worth. Hearings follow, and parties are sometimes ordered to complete drug testing or psychological evaluations.
Who can file a SAPCR?
- A parent
- A person with court-ordered visitation rights
- A foster parent or guardian
- A relative, if the parents are deceased
- A grandparent with legal standing
- A government entity
A parent whose parental rights have been terminated may not file a SAPCR.
Is a SAPCR different from a paternity case?
Yes. A paternity case must first establish who the legal father is; the court can then make custody and support orders. If paternity is already established or acknowledged, you file a SAPCR directly.
Can you file a SAPCR in Tarrant County?
The child must have lived in Texas for at least six months, or Texas must be the child’s home state with the child gone less than six months. If the other parent lives out of state, the Tarrant County court must also have personal jurisdiction over that parent to enforce orders like child support.
Hire a Fort Worth Child Custody Lawyer
Your child’s future is decided in a Tarrant County courtroom — by a judge our family law team knows and appears before regularly. Backed by Board Certified family law leadership, 80+ years of combined local experience, and more than 1,100 five-star reviews, we handle custody disputes, modifications, relocations, and SAPCR cases from our downtown Fort Worth office, minutes from the Family Law Center.
Whether through negotiation or litigation, we will find the strategy that protects your relationship with your child. Call our Fort Worth child custody lawyers today at (817) 900-3220.