Texas Parent and Child Interstate Relocation Issues
Child custody disputes can be difficult enough when the parents live in the same ZIP code. However, when one parent--especially the one with primary physical custody of the child--moves to a distant city or another state, the complexity of the case can increase drastically. If you need advice about your rights in an interstate child custody case, contact a dependable family law child custody attorney at Bertolino LLP.
Interstate child custody, parent relocation, and issues related to the modification or enforcement of parenting arrangements due to one parent's move to another state are all regulated by the Uniform Child Custody and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA). Before the Texas Legislature adopted the UCCJEA in 1999, Texas family court jurisdiction over children located in other states automatically ended six months after the child moved. Texas parents interested in preserving or asserting visitation rights would need to obtain an order from a court in the relocating parent's new state of residence.
Fortunately, the UCCJEA today protects noncustodial parents in Texas whose former spouses move with the children to other states or more than 100 miles from the parent who stays behind. The parent who wants to relocate must provide at least 60 days notice of the relocation plans, and in most cases, details as to visitation schedules, holidays, summer vacations, and responsibility for travel expenses can be worked out between the parents and approved by the court before the move occurs.
At Bertolino LLP, our Austin, Houston and San Antonio child custody lawyers can protect your interests if a former spouse in another state interferes with your visitation rights and the best interest of your child. If you are the parent contemplating relocation, or who has moved out of state and needs representation in Texas in a UCCJEA enforcement matter, our experienced child custody lawyers (based in Austin, Houston and San Antonio) can advise you of your rights and obligations concerning every aspect of custody and visitation regarding the best interest of your child.
Our Austin, Houston and San Antonio child custody attorneys also represent parents with international child custody problems. Our child custody lawyer have experience with immigration, overseas business operations, and family law makes us a natural choice for parents who need to enforce custody or visitation rights through the Hague Convention and when necessary, the U.S. State Department.
In any divorce case where a realistic chance exists that one parent or the other will move out of state or to a foreign country, we find that anticipating and negotiating the terms of long-distance custody and visitation arrangements works best for avoiding future problems. Whether your problem involves an out-of-state family court order applicable to a child residing in Texas, or a Texas divorce decree that covers a child who lives elsewhere, we can help resolve your problem. Contact us in Austin or Houston or San Antonio to learn more about our ability to assist you.
Contact a Texas Child Custody Lawyer at Bertolino LLP
Bertolino LLP maintains offices in Austin, Houston and San Antonio. To reach an attorney in the Austin office, call 512.476.5757. For the San Antonio office, call 210.223.5553. For the Houston office, call 713.225.7474. You may also contact the firm by e-mail.
