TEXAS FATHER VIOLATES CHILD CUSTODY AGREEMENT

Determining who gets custody of the children when a couple divorces can be one of the biggest challenges. A parent refusing to respect visitation rights once they’ve been legally structured is one of the most serious and frequent problems for many divorced couples with regard to child custody. In one recent Texas headline, one child disappeared from his front lawn, only to be found days later in his father’s custody.

The six-year-old boy was playing in his front yard in another state on a Friday when he went missing. Reports say that he was found unharmed in east Texas with his father on the following Sunday. The father did not have rightful custody of his son at the time.

As a result of the violation in child custody agreement, the man will be charged with interfering with custody. The child was not taken back to his family immediately after the ordeal. He is currently under the care and custody of Texas child welfare services until more information is collected and authorities for the case.

A violation of joint custody can be a particularly difficult situation, and may be grounds for changing the custody agreement. When a parent takes the child or children without alerting the other parent, this can reach the level of kidnapping in some cases. When a child is abducted and taken across state lines or out of the country, the FBI can become involved. Those who feel that they should be receiving more visitation time with their children, or obtain outright child custody, may petition a family law judge in order to have this changed.