As it stands in Texas, during a divorce, husbands, and wives split their marital property evenly. But the same cannot be said for child custody rights, an area in which mothers typically have a decided advantage. At least this is the contention of a father who was recently the subject of TV news story.
The 37-year-old father is speaking out as a supporter of a proposed bill that would radically change child custody decisions in the state as we know them. Specifically, Texas House Bill 453 calls for giving both parents involved in a divorce equal custody rights.
It is understandable why the father would like to see the bill pass. He says that he doesn’t get to have as much time with his 10-year-old son as he wants. And he claims he has put around $80,000 in an effort to get better custody terms. Clearly, if HB 453 passes, fathers will be far less likely to suffer similar experiences.
But while the bill has its share of advocates, a former family law judge has concerns. She says that if the bill becomes law, judges will no longer have the same discretion when it comes to making decisions. This is problematic, she says, because all divorces are unique and should be handled as such.
So we shall wait and see if equal child custody rights become the law of the state. But for the time being, the status quo remains intact, meaning if you are a divorcing father and want to make sure you get favorable custody terms, you likely could use the aid of a savvy family law attorney. An attorney can work on your behalf to try to get you a parenting schedule you find acceptable.
Source: WFAA-TV, “Texas fathers fight for equal custody law at legislature,” Jason Whitely, Feb 9, 2017