A Houston family law court will always seek to honor the best interests of your child -- first and foremost -- when making any child custody decision. The court will review a wide variety of facts concerning your child custody case, your family and your children to evaluate exactly what the best interests of your child may be.
Here is a list of common factors that a court will likely consider in your child custody case:
-- The mental and physical conditions of both you and your spouse.
-- The special needs of the child and the extent to which each parent fulfills those needs.
-- The religion and cultures of each of parent and the children.
-- Other children who might live or potentially live with the child.
-- The need for children to have a stable home environment, and which parent is best capable of providing one.
-- The sex and age of the children.
-- Any domestic violence patterns present in the home.
-- Evidence of alcohol or drug abuse by either parent.
-- Evidence of child abuse or domestic violence committed by either parent.
-- Adjustments the child will need to make to a new school or community.
-- The availability of other family members to provide child-rearing support.
The above list is by no means exhaustive. Houston family law courts may choose to look at any number of factors that they deem to be of significant importance to the best interest of a child depending on the unique facts of your particular case. If you're in the middle of a child custody lawsuit, an attorney can assist you in asserting your parental and child custody rights in court.
Source: FindLaw, "Focusing on the "Best Interests" of the Child," accessed June 09, 2017
