Galveston County Relocation Lawyer
Texas family courts are primarily focused on ensuring that custody arrangements provide for a child’s financial and emotional support. This usually means that both parents are granted physical access to the child. Parental relocation can make adherence to this type of custody arrangement impossible or unfair, so courts often include geographic restrictions in the agreement, which bar a parent from relocating outside of the state with the child. However, courts also recognize that in some cases, relocation is necessary for one parent or is in the best interests of the child and so are willing to reexamine the custody agreement.
When drafting the initial custody agreement, courts usually implement a set of standard guidelines, which allocate visitation between each parent. If a parent must relocate outside of the county where the court order was granted, a long distance schedule will go into effect. This means that the child will reside with one parent and visit the other on certain weekends and holidays. It is not uncommon, however, for a court to include a provision in the custody agreement barring either parent from moving away. If a parent violates this order, he or she will be subject to serious penalties and may even lose custody.
If you are concerned that your ex-spouse is planning to relocate in violation of your custody agreement, please contact the law firm of Lindamood & Robinson, P.C., located in Galveston County, and we will help you set up a consultation with a Galveston County relocation lawyer who has experience handling relocation and move-away cases.
Consequences of Parental Relocation
In Texas, if the parent who was granted primary physical custody moves to a different county, he or she will be required to adhere to a long-distance visitation schedule, which means that:
- The parent who relocated must collect the child at the end of each visit with the non-custodial parent;
- If driving is not feasible, the custodial parent must pay for airfare or a bus ticket, so that the child can visit the other parent; and
- If the child is younger than five years of age, the custodial parent must also pay travel expenses for an adult to accompany the child.
Moving out of the state or out of the country can create additional difficulties related to legal jurisdiction. For instance, a custody dispute where one parent lives in the United States while the other lives abroad may implicate international treaties, such as the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International and Child Abduction. Ratified in 1988, this treaty established specific procedures safeguarding children from parental abduction. While these situations can be difficult to resolve, the lawyers at Lindamood & Robinson, P.C. have experience handling both interstate and international custody disputes.
Interstate and International Child Custody Lawyers in Galveston County, Texas
If you live in Galveston County and have questions or concerns about relocating out of state or out of the country with your child, please contact the law firm of Lindamood & Robinson, P.C. and a member of our dedicated legal team will help you schedule an initial consultation.
