McKinney Child Custody Lawyer
Child custody lawyer for McKinney, TX parents. Help with conservatorship, possession schedules, relocation, enforcement and modifications in Collin County.
Custody Help for McKinney Parents
Few things feel more personal than a dispute over your children. Pfister Family Law represents McKinney mothers and fathers in custody cases from our Frisco office at 5300 Town and Country Blvd, Suite 110, a short drive west on State Highway 121. We handle custody as part of a divorce, between parents who never married, and after a decree when the old order no longer fits the family. Whether you live in historic downtown, Stonebridge Ranch, Craig Ranch or Trinity Falls, call 972-712-6700 and we will start with your children’s routine and what you want it to look like.
Custody Cases in the Collin County Seat
McKinney is the county seat of Collin County, and the county’s district courts sit at 2100 Bloomdale Road. That means most McKinney custody cases are heard close to home. For a first custody case, where it is filed generally depends on where the child has lived. Once a court has issued custody orders, later changes and enforcement usually go back to that same court, even if a parent has moved. We confirm which court has your case before anything is filed.
What Custody Means Under Texas Law
Texas law uses the term conservatorship for the rights and duties to make decisions for a child, and possession and access for the schedule of when each parent has the child. Courts start from the presumption that naming both parents joint managing conservators is in the child’s best interest, although that presumption can be overcome, for example by a history of family violence. Joint conservatorship does not automatically mean equal time. One parent is often given the right to designate the child’s primary residence, and the schedule is set separately. Our Texas child custody guide explains these terms in more depth, and our post on the best interest of the child covers how courts weigh them.
Schedules That Fit McKinney School Calendars
McKinney children attend McKinney ISD, Frisco ISD, Prosper ISD, Allen ISD and other districts, and many parents commute on US 75, the Sam Rayburn Tollway or the Dallas North Tollway. The standard possession order is a starting point, not a requirement. Parents can agree to a schedule that fits their family, and the court still looks at the child’s best interest. We help McKinney parents plan school-year weekdays, exchanges, holidays and the summer weeks that often cause the most friction. Our post on summer possession schedules covers that piece.
Moving With Your Child
Many Texas custody orders limit where the child’s primary residence can be to a set geographic area. A job offer in another city or a move closer to family can mean asking the other parent to agree or asking the court to change the order. If the other parent wants to move your child away, the same order and the child’s best interest control what happens next. We help parents on both sides of a relocation request and handle modifications when the family’s circumstances have materially and substantially changed.
When the Other Parent Will Not Follow the Order
Missed exchanges, withheld weekends and ignored holiday schedules are more than frustrating. A court order can be enforced, and Texas law allows a court to order make-up time for possession that was wrongly denied. A pattern of violations can also become part of a request to change custody. Our enforcement page and our post on what happens when a court order is violated explain the options. Keeping a simple record of each missed exchange helps.
Who Handles Your Case
John J. Pfister Jr., the firm’s founder, is board-certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Jacob Jeffries is also board-certified in family law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Associate attorney Dakota Mayr works alongside them. Many custody cases resolve through negotiation or mediation, and we prepare for court when that is what your children need. If divorce is also on the table, see our McKinney divorce attorney page.
Talk With a McKinney Child Custody Lawyer
Call 972-712-6700 to schedule a confidential consultation at our Frisco office, by appointment at our Prosper office, or by video. Learn more on our child custody page, our McKinney family lawyer page, or our Collin County page. We also help parents in Frisco, Plano, Allen and across Collin County.
Schedule your consultation today.
Speak with a trusted family law attorney. Call 972-712-6700 or click below to schedule your confidential consultation.
FAQ
Clients often ask
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is a McKinney child custody case heard?
Most McKinney custody cases are heard in the Collin County district courts at 2100 Bloomdale Road in McKinney. If a court has already issued custody orders, later changes usually go back to that court. We confirm the right court before filing.
Does joint managing conservatorship mean equal time?
Not necessarily. Joint managing conservatorship is about sharing decision-making rights. The possession schedule is decided separately, and parents can agree to equal time or another schedule if it serves the child’s best interest.
Can I move away from McKinney with my child?
It depends on your order. Many Texas orders limit the child’s primary residence to a set geographic area. Moving outside that area usually requires the other parent’s agreement or a court order changing the restriction.
What can I do if the other parent keeps denying my visitation?
You can ask the court that issued the order to enforce it. A court can order make-up time for denied possession, and a pattern of violations can support a request to change custody. Keep a record of each denied exchange.
