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Category Archives: Visitation and Access

When is the Deadline To Designate Periods of Summer Possession In Texas?

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Divorce, Divorce For Dads™, News, Visitation and Access

Per the Texas Family Code’s Standard Possession Order (and generally most possession orders although not all), parents who have been awarded a possession schedule in a divorce decree or custody order need to designate their intended periods of summer possession to the custodial parent or primary conservator by April 1st. Failure to designate a specific period of possession typically results in the default summer period of July 1st at 6:00 p.m. to July 31st at 6:00 p.m.

COVID-19: Child Custody Possession Schedule Under Shelter-In-Place Order In Texas

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, News, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Visitation and Access

In these uncharted waters, we at the Ramos Law Group would like to keep our former, existing clients and potential clients as informed as possible as we navigate family law matters in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. As you may know, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and County Judge Lina Hildago have issued the directive that all Houston-area residents shall remain in their homes and all non-essential businesses shall close. The family law community anticipates that there will be many parents with existing orders relating to children that will have questions regarding the impact this shelter in place order will have on child custody and possession schedules.

CoronaVirus (COVID-19) Impact To Child Custody Visitation & Access During Spring Break and School Closures

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, News, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Visitation and Access

Over that past week, our family law firm in Houston, Texas, has been inundated with calls from concerned parents regarding the handling of possession and access under the CoronaVirus (COVID-19) extended spring break and school closures. If you have children subject to a court-ordered visitation schedule, you may be confused regarding when the exchange should occur during spring break and what happens if the closures continue for an extended period. Most of the confusion stems from districts using varying terminology from "extended spring break" to "school closure".

Inconsistent Visitation and Resulting Problems

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Visitation and Access

Once a court order is in place concerning possession and access, parties and their children tend to acclimate to the new schedule without too many problems.  However, if the possessory parent (the parent who does not have the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of the children) has an obstacle when regularly exercising possession, …

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If One Parent Has an Alcohol Problem But I Want Them Involved In My Child’s Life, How Can I Protect My Child With a Court Order?

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Family Law, Hiring a Divorce Lawyer, Visitation and Access

The truth is that there are various ways that an order can be crafted to protect the children and still allow them to have an ongoing relationship with their parent that is struggling with alcohol issues, depending on the severity of the issues.  The solution is normally a combination of protections during periods of possession, …

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Can Grandparents Ask the Court to Order Possession and Access in Texas?

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Family Law, Visitation and Access

Under the Texas Family Code, there are certain circumstances where grandparents can file a suit requesting the court to grant them possession of or access to their biological grandchildren. However, there are certain statutory requirements that the grandparent must prove before the Court can award possession and access to grandparents in Texas. First, the grandparent(s) must …

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Benefits of Parenting Classes During a Divorce

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Visitation and Access

If you’re going through a divorce and you and your spouse have children, it’s important to take parenting classes to learn how to communicate effectively to serve their best interests. However, the court may also require that you and your spouse attend classes as part of an agreement made with your child custody lawyer. Above, …

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Recognizing and Preventing Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS)

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Divorce, Visitation and Access

While divorce is generally unpleasant for all parties involved, usually it is the children who are the most severely affected. It is all too easy for parents to get so caught up in their own emotional distress that they miss how their actions affect their children. Unfortunately, sometimes manipulative parents will attempt to turn their …

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Get Help With Parental Alienation Syndrome – PAS

Posted by Mary E. Ramos | Child Custody, Divorce, Parental Alienation Syndrome, Visitation and Access

Parental Alienation Syndrome (PAS) is the deliberate attempt by a parent to destroy the relationship between their children and the other parent. The alienating parent’s goal is to destroy the children’s bond with the other parent and establish themself as “the best parent.” Parental Alienation Syndrome does not occur over night. It is a systematic process which ultimately results in the destruction of a child’s relationship with the other parent. PAS is frequently observed in hotly contested child custody cases and it is important that parents and attorneys are vigilant as to the symptoms of PAS.

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