Family Law

Houston and Galveston Family Law Attorney

Family law is an umbrella legal term that encompasses legal formalizations of human relationships, including prenuptial agreements, marriage, parental rights, child custody and conservatorships, child support, paternity, adoption and more. If you have a family law question or concern and need advice or assistance from an experienced Houston area lawyer, contact Russell, Ibrahim & Elliott, LLP.

Whether as a result of divorce or in the case of unmarried parents, child custody has to do with the best interests of a child. Mothers do not automatically receive custody when parents are separated. And courts consider the qualifications of both parents when determining the physical and legal custody of babies, children and teenagers whose parents are not married to each other.

Joint custody is a presumption of Texas family law. In other words, the law assumes that parents who are separated will both continue to make decisions, exercise parental rights and otherwise share privileges, duties and powers pertaining to the child. Examples of parental rights include the following:

• Establishment of the primary residence of the child
• Visitation rights for the parent who is not in the primary residence
• The right to consent to medical, dental and surgical treatment
• The right to receive and give receipt for child support
• The right to represent the child in legal actions
• The right to consent to marriage or enlistment in the armed forces
• The right to make educational decisions
• The right to take children outside the U.S. on vacations or for other reasons

Discuss your family law issues with an experienced attorney and determine the most advantageous way to attain your goals regarding your marriage, your children or other family matters. Contact Russell, Ibrahim & Elliott, LLP, to schedule a consultation.