Full custody refers to a legal situation where one parent is given exclusive rights and responsibilities for making major decisions concerning the child's welfare. This includes decisions about medical care, education, and other significant aspects of the child's life. There are several reasons why a parent may seek full custody of their child.
Abuse or Neglect: If a parent has a history of domestic violence, substance abuse, or mental health issues, that could put the child at risk, courts may lean towards granting full legal custody.
Domestic Abuse: In cases where one parent has been violent towards the other, courts often drop the gavel in favor of sole legal custody to protect both children and survivors.
Substance Abuse: A parent who struggles with substance abuse can lead to adverse impacts on the child's wellbeing. The court will look at evidence like arrest records or rehab stints to decide if substance abuse could put the child at risk.
Mental Health Issues: Mental health can be a critical factor in custody battles, especially here in Texas. When one parent struggles with significant mental health issues that aren't properly managed, the courts may step in.
Abandonment: If one parent has upped sticks and blown town without looking back for an extended period, the other parent might get full legal control. If one person decides to cut out before the end, they won't be able to take charge later on.
Criminal Activity or Incarceration: When a parent's rap sheet looks more like a novel than a record, Texas courts might just step in and say enough is enough.
Inability To Provide Care: Sometimes, life's unexpected twists can make it challenging for a parent to provide their children with the care they need, even if intentions are in the right place.
Interference with Child’s Relationship: When a parent repeatedly sabotages their child's relationship with the other parent, it's serious interference. This can lead to courts granting sole custody to protect the kid's emotional well-being.
Relocation: Ever heard of a parent pulling up stakes and moving to Timbuktu with the kids in tow? Well, maybe not Timbuktu, but when one parent decides to move far away, it can toss a Texas-sized wrench into custody arrangements.
Child’s Preference: In the Lone Star State, when judges lay down the law on custody battles, they don't just throw a dart at a board and call it justice. No sirree. They consider what's best for the kiddos involved.
- *The court will also look at factors such as the child's physical and emotional needs, the age and physical and mental condition of each parent, the relationship between the child and both parents, the role each parent plays in the care and raising of the child, the willingness of each parent to foster a good relationship between the child and the other parent, the reasonable preferences of the child, depending on the age of the child, the stability of each parent’s home, and history of domestic or sexual abuse, neglect, substance abuse, and crime or criminal activity
*In any case, the safety and well-being of the child should always come first when making custody decisions, regardless of the specific reason for seeking full custody
