All You Need To Know About Father's Rights: Client Basic Guide

In the event that a marriage is terminated, fathers must seek legal advice to ensure that they will not lose in the ensuing custody battle.

11:26 06 July 2021

When it comes to the termination of marriage, the spouses involved are not the only persons who will require legal counsel. On the subject of your children and the custody of them, along with other legal issues, these, too, need to be rightfully addressed. 

 

As a father, here are things you should know about your rights in the matter, and how your attorney can help. 

 

Father’s Rights Basic Guide 

 

1. Seek Legal Council Immediately 

Even if you and your ex-spouse split amicably, and that there is no hostility between your family and said spouse’s, do not jump into custody-seeking on your own. Remember that this is still considered a legal battle. Hence, immediately seek legal counsel. 

 

This way, you will be guided with regards to how you should respond to the concern at hand. There are many fathers who, due to the lack of information of legal guidelines, end up with lesser favourable outcomes for visitation. You may avoid this with the aid of your law advocate. 

 

2. Time Spent With Your Children 

This plays a major role in swaying the court’s decision on custody and/or visitation--- how much time you were able to spend with you children previous to having made the decision to file for a divorce from your ex-spouse. 

 

Generally speaking, it is best to let your ex-spouse know of your visitation schedule and responsibilities. By “responsibilities”, we mean this word at its most basic core--- helping your kids out with homework, laundry, groceries, having meals together, play time, etc. 

 

Besides wanting to strengthen your case, your role as a father and how much time you give your children will be a valuable component in their development and maturity. You will want your father-child relationship to remain unwavering regardless of the backdrop of your divorce and/or separation from your ex-spouse.

 

3. Communication With Your Ex-Spouse 

Despite the proceedings of the divorce being taken into action, be sure to maintain communications with your ex-spouse regarding your children. Feel free to consult your legal team on how you can go about this.

 

Many times, communication with ex-spouses become challenging when the marriage is ended on an unfriendly tone. Actions can be used against one another, for the purpose of wanting to win the custody case. Civilities are not observed because of emotional retorts. 

 

Stay objective and civil when communicating with your ex-spouse. And if possible, keep track of said communications. 

 

4. Child Support 

Yes, child support, notwithstanding that there are no grounds laid down about how much and what kind is considered proper by the court, is a must. There is no question nor doubt about this variable. You are, after all, a “provider” for your children, just as your ex-spouse is. 

 

Do not disregard this area of your parental role. Your marriage may be dissolved. However, your being a parent remains, and should proactively be preserved, by none other that yourself. 

 

Now, looking into the perspective of legalities, the court will review how you interpret your being a father as a positive supplementary to your plea. 

 

5. Meetings And Negotiations

Financial matters can be mediated by your Houston father's rights attorney. Finances are almost always a sensitive topic between ex-spouses. Add to this the implementation of decisions on how these are to be allotted towards your children. 

 

Equitable markers can be set so that you and your ex-spouse will contribute that which is “fair” to each of you and is for the betterment of your children’s present and future.