Contested Child Custody

Over Three Decades of Combined Experience Working for You

Denton Contested Child Custody Attorneys

Efficiently & Empathetically Navigating Challenging Custody Matters

Establishing a child custody arrangement can be one of the most difficult aspects of a divorce. It can also be extremely challenging for parents who were never married. Typically, both parents wish to spend a substantial amount of time with their child or children; and in many cases, they find it very hard to come to an agreement with each other, especially when the relationship between them has broken down beyond repair.

Powerful and deeply rooted feelings of anger, hurt, fear, and sometimes spite may factor into one or both parents’ motivations in pursuing a difficult custody situation. Additionally, many parents have several misunderstandings and misconceptions regarding custody laws in Texas, which may further compound feelings of angst and despair. The legal team at Goline & Roland Law Firm, PLLC in Denton will work together to reach the best solution for you and your family.


For help addressing your concerns and working toward an agreement that is in your child’s best interests, reach out to our contested child custody lawyers in Denton today at (940) 400-0475.


Reasonable but Aggressive

As a compassionate, experienced, and successful family law firm, it is important for us to educate and help our clients see beyond painful emotions and misunderstandings about the law. Therefore, when it comes to the negotiation of custody arrangements, we work with each of our clients to try to amicably reach a custody agreement with the other parent before entering into expensive and time-consuming litigation.

However, there are some instances where agreement is unlikely or impossible. In these instances —when the best interests of our clients and their children are in jeopardy—we do not hesitate to litigate the matter as aggressively as necessary.

The Best Interests of the Child Will Always Guide the Court’s Decisions

No matter what your goals for child custody are, keep in mind that the courts of the state of Texas will always consider the best interests of the child as the number one deciding factor in establishing child custody.

In fact, this is specifically codified in Section 153.022 of the Texas Family Code, which states that:

“The best interest of the child shall always be the primary consideration of the court in determining the issues of conservatorship and possession of and access to the child.”

It is extremely important to remember that before the court issues any custody order, it must determine whether the order takes into consideration this guiding principle.

In reaching a determination in this regard, the court will consider several factors, including the following:

  • The age of the children and parents
  • Where the children go to school
  • The needs of each child
  • The children’s preferences (the court gives more weight to the opinion of older children)
  • The ability of one or both parents to maintain the daily routine and schedule
  • The physical condition of the children’s home
  • The physical and mental health of the children and parents
  • The relationship between each child and each parent

Considering these factors, the court’s findings may be different from the parent’s perceptions and goals regarding custody.

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  • 10 Best 2 Years 2015-2016 - American Institute of Family Law Att
  • 10 Best 2015 - Under 40 American Institute of Family Law Attorne
  • 10 Best 2017 - American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
  • The National Top 40 Under 40 Trial Lawyers

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