How does the court decide on a custody arrangement?

In Texas, the court will look to determine the best interest of the child when deciding on a custody arrangement. Generally, the court believes that it is in the child’s best interest to have continued contact with both parents, so it will look to create a custody arrangement that allows for both parents to have quality time with the child. When determining which parent should have the majority of time with the child, the court will look at many factors, like which parent is more likely to promote a relationship with the other parent, which parent is more likely to provide a safe and stable home environment for the child, the mental and physical health of both parents, the work schedule of both parents, the ability of the child to adjust to a new environment, the ability of both parents to cooperate and communicate about parenting matters, and the wishes of the child if the child is old enough to express them. In some cases, the court may also consider the prior criminal or domestic violence history of a parent when determining who should have primary custody. In order to protect the best interest of the child, the court may also order mediation or counseling sessions between the two parents, or require that they attend parenting classes. Ultimately, the court will determine the custody arrangement that it believes is best for the child.

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