It is the public policy of Texas to ensure that children will have frequent and continuing contact with parents who have shown the ability to act in the best interest of the child; to provide a safe, stable, and non violent environment for the child; and to encourage parents to share in the rights and responsibilities of raising their children after the parents have separated or dissolved their marriage.  Current Texas law presumes that appointment of a child’s parents as joint managing conservators is in the child’s best interest, unless there is a finding of a history of family violence involving the parents.  The parties may enter into a written agreement containing provisions for appointment of joint managing conservators under Code section 153.133. 

• Managing Conservatorship (Overview):

In a suit affecting the parent-child relationship, the court may appoint joint managing conservators or may appoint a sole managing conservator.  If the parents are or will be separated, the court shall appoint at least one managing conservator.  A managing conservator must be a parent, a competent adult, an authorized agency, or a licensed child-placing agency.

• Possessory Conservatorship (Overview):

If a managing conservator is appointed, the court may appoint one or more possessory conservators.  The court shall specify the possessory conservator’s rights and duties.  Unless a party shows good cause why specific orders would not be in the party’s best interest, the court shall specify and expressly state the times and conditions for possession of or access to the child. 

To Learn More about Texas Conservatorship and Support, Please follow the links Below:

• Joint Managing Conservatorship

• Managing Conservatorship

• Possessory Conservatorship