Texas family law attorneys will often discourage joint physical custody arrangements between parents because of the complications that could arise. Some parents may see joint custody as the most fair option, but may not realize that such an arrangement can create extra hardships on children.
For this reason, joint physical custody arrangements are rare. FindLaw states that it's common for parents to have a joint legal custody arrangement in place, where both parents share the right to make long-term decisions about the raising of a child. Yet, joint physical custody is often opposed by the family courts because of the potential stress and disruption to a child's routine.
A joint physical custody arrangement requires parents to fully cooperate with one another, even if they're not on good terms. This is because the arrangement requires parents to share the day-to-day decision-making responsibilities when it comes to raising a child.
With joint physical custody, parents must usually make a living arrangement schedule, according to their work requirements, housing arrangements and the children's needs. It's common for children to split weeks between each parent's house. For example, the child will spend weekends and holidays with one parent, while spending weekdays with the other. Other arrangements include alternating months, years, or six-month periods between parents.
Having a court order that requires children to constantly be shuttled around can obviously create an extra burden of stress on the child. This type of routine can be an uncomfortable lifestyle for the child. It can also be very expensive for parents to maintain two different homes for the children.
Related Resources:
- Five Tips on Child Custody and Visitation (FindLaw's Law and Daily Life Blog)
- Custody Arrangements FAQ (FindLaw)
- Look For Texas Family Law Attorneys (FindLaw)
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