Child Custody and Conservatorship

In Texas, the legal word for custody is “conservatorship.” The words "custody" and "conservatorship" describe your relationship with a child when there is a court order. 

Legal custody can only be created by a court order. Without a court order, there is nothing for a judge to enforce. Each parent is free to take the child at any time. Read Parents Rights When No Custody Orders Exist for more information on your rights and duties.

A person with court ordered custody of a child is called a “conservator.”

There are three types of conservators:

• Joint Managing Conservator,
• Sole Managing Conservator, and
• Possessory Conservator.

Texas law says that parents should usually be named joint managing conservators. A joint conservatorship order means the parents share decision-making about most issues, including education and healthcare. Read Texas Family Code 153.074 for all of a parent's rights and duties during their possession time. It does not mean the child’s time is split equally between the parents. A possession order will say when each parent has the right to time with the child. Read Child Visitation & Possession Orders to learn more about possession orders.

In most joint conservatorship orders, one parent will have the exclusive right to decide where the child lives (usually within a certain geographic area). This parent is called the “custodial parent” and the child usually lives primarily with this parent. The other parent is called the “non-custodial parent.”

In some joint conservatorship orders, neither parent will have the exclusive right to decide where the child lives but the child’s residence will be restricted to a certain geographic area, like a school attendance zone or county.

The law says that parents should not be named Joint Managing Conservators if there is a history or pattern of violence by one parent against the other parent. 

When there is a good reason to do so, one parent (or sometimes a nonparent) can be named the sole managing conservator. A sole managing conservator has the exclusive right to make most decisions about the child.

Reasons a judge might name a parent (or nonparent) sole managing conservator include:

• family violence by the other parent,
• child abuse or neglect by the other parent,
• alcohol or drug abuse by the other parent, or
• absence of the other parent in the child’s life.

Read Texas Family Code 153.132 for a list of the rights and duties of a sole managing conservator.

If one parent is named the sole managing conservator, the other parent is usually named the possessory conservator. If a nonparent is named the sole managing conservator, both parents will usually be named possessory conservators. A possessory conservator still has the rights of a parent, but will not have the final say on most decisions. Read Texas Family Code 153, subchapters D and E to learn the rights, duties, and guidelines for a possessory conservator.

Yes. Texas judges must consider evidence of family violence when making decisions about custody and visitation. Read Texas Family Code 153.004 and 153.005 for details on what the court considers in cases with a history of family violence.

If the other parent has been violent or abusive, it is important to talk with a lawyer about your case. You may be able to get free legal help. Call one of the organizations listed below for more information:

• National Domestic Violence 24-Hour Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233) or
• Crime Victims, 888-343-4414

In an emergency, call 911. Find out more in the Protection from Violence or Abuse section of this website.

Custody and conservatorship can be ordered by a judge as part of a:

• divorce case, 
• suit affecting the parent-child relationship case (SAPCR case), 
• paternity case, or
• family violence protective order case.

TexasLawHelp.org has guides with instructions and do-it-yourself forms you can be use to ask for a custody order. 

• If you and the other parent are married and want a divorce, use I need a divorce. We have children under 18. The judge will make custody, visitation, child support, and medical support orders as part of your divorce.
• Use I need a custody order. I am the child's parent (SAPCR). if:
  • (1) you and the other parent are not married (or don’t want a divorce),
  • (2) you and the other parent have signed an Acknowledgment of Paternity, and
  • (3) there are no existing orders about your child.
  • The judge will make custody, visitation, child support, and medical support orders as part of your SAPCR (custody) order.
• Use I need a paternity order. if: (1) you and the other parent are not married and (2) you and the other parent have NOT signed an Acknowledgment of Paternity. The judge will make custody, visitation, child support, and medical support orders as part of your paternity order.
• Use I need a custody order. I am not the child's parent (SAPCR). if: (1) you are not the child’s parent and (2) there are no court orders about the child already in place.

If you need help choosing the correct guide, use Ask a Question to chat with a law student or lawyer online.

If you need a family violence protective order call the National Domestic Violence 24-Hour Hotline at 800-799-SAFE (7233). They can refer you to help in your community.

Note: The TexasLawHelp.org instructions are written for uncontested cases (agreed or default). If your case is contested, it’s best to hire a lawyer or open a case with the Texas Attorney General Child Support Division.

If there is already an existing court order, conservatorship (commonly called "custody") can be changed by a judge in a modification case. Read Changing a Custody, Visitation, or Child Support Order for more information.

Use our I need to change a custody, visitation, or support order. for instructions and do-it-yourself forms.

Note: The TexasLawHelp.org instructions are written for uncontested cases (agreed or default). If your case is contested, it’s best to hire a lawyer. 

You can use I need to respond to a custody case (SAPCR) with do-it-yourself answer forms and instructions. Also, review How to File an Answer in a Family Law Case for more help.

You do not have to have a lawyer to file or respond to a custody case. However, custody cases can be complicated. It is a good idea to talk with a lawyer about your situation (even if you decide not to hire one). A lawyer can explain your rights and options. 

It is really important to talk to a lawyer if any of the following are true.

• You are afraid for your or your children’s safety.
• Your case is contested (not agreed).
• The other parent has a lawyer.
• Your child has a disability.
• You are not sure about the identity of the child’s father.

If you need help finding a lawyer, you can:

• Use our Legal Help Directory to search for a lawyer referral service, legal aid office, or self-help center in your area.
• Check our Legal Events & Clinics page for free legal clinics in your area.
• Use Ask a Question to chat online with a lawyer or law student. 

Yes. You can hire a family law lawyer just to give you legal advice, review your forms, draft a document, or help you prepare for a hearing. You may then be able to handle the other parts of your case yourself. Hiring a lawyer for a limited purpose is called limited scope representation.

Maybe. To learn when the OAG can help and how to apply for services, you can visit the Office of the Attorney General Child Support Division website or call 800-252-8014.

Read the law about custody (conservatorship) and visitation (possession) in Chapter 153 of the Texas Family Code. 

The federal Two-Parent Consent Law requires that both parents consent to the issuance of U.S. passports for children under the age of 16 unless the applying parent or legal guardian can establish that the consent of both parents or legal guardians is not required.

Texas courts can order that a particular parent or legal guardian has the exclusive right to apply for, renew, or maintain passports for children. This gives a parent the legal authority to show that the consent of the other parent or legal guardian is not required for the issuance of a particular passport.

If a party is declared to be a sole managing conservator and the court does not otherwise limit the sole managing conservator’s rights with respect to the issuance of passports, then the sole managing conservator has the exclusive right to apply for, renew, and maintain passports for the children.

The SAPCR custody orders and Final Decrees of Divorce on TexasLawHelp.org have provisions through which Texas courts can express their decision with respect to which party or parties should have the right to consent with respect to passports for the children involved in the case at hand.