McKinney County Child Custody Attorneys
Dedicated Legal Assistance Fighting for You and Your Children
When parents divorce or separate, child custody becomes a paramount issue to be settled. The outcome of your case has a direct effect on you, your child, and your parent-child relationship, making it imperative to recruit legal counsel that can defend your best interests.
At Pfister Family Law, we have decades of experience handling child custody cases for our clients. We know the system and will work tirelessly to protect your parental rights.
Call our McKinney County child custody lawyers for help with your case: (972) 370-5172.
How Texas Courts Decide on Custody
If you and your ex are on good terms, you may opt to draft your custody schedule together. To do so, you would work with our attorneys, your coparent, and your coparent’s lawyer to negotiate the terms of your agreement. If you can reach an accord, the judge will accept and enforce it. If not, the case is left to the court to decide.
Texas courts aim to keep both parents involved in their kid’s upbringing, as it is typically best for the child. As such, judges typically opt to name parents as joint managing conservators with equal authority to make medical and educational decisions. Still, only one parent can have the right to determine the child’s residence. In such a case, the parent without primary custody will usually receive a Standard Possession Order outlining their visitation rights. In addition, they are generally required to pay child support.
What Judges Consider in Custody Cases
A child’s best interest is at the center of all custody decisions. To determine how to best protect the child’s emotional and physical wellbeing, courts consider:
- Any history of domestic violence
- Any history of either parent struggling with substance abuse
- The ability of each parent to care for the child
- The child’s preference, if 12 or older
- The financial standing of each parent
- The living situations of each parent
- The relationships each parent has with the child
These are only some of the many factors a court will consider when deciding on custody. There is no standard formula that judges refer to when ruling on custody, making it even more important to hire a skilled McKinney County child custody lawyer to fight for your rights.
Behaviors to Avoid During a Child Custody Battle
It’s important to be a reliable and respectful guardian preceding, during, and following your case. The following actions could paint a negative image of you and hinder your likelihood of receiving a generous custody allowance:
- Damaging your ex’s property
- Fighting with your ex
- Interrupting your kid’s usual schedule
- Posting pictures of you excessively partying
- Speaking poorly of your ex
- Taking your children out of town without notifying your ex
McKinney County Child Custody Lawyers
Our attorneys can help you fight for a custody agreement that works for you and your child. We can represent you in negotiation or litigation, and will advocate for your best interests throughout the entirety of the case.
We're Your Trusted Advocates.
mEET THE The Pfister Family Law Team
Experience matters when it comes to your case. Contact us today to see how we can help.
Why Choose Pfister Family Law?
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We Always Think in Terms of Resolution
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We Offer Child Custody and Parenting Agreements
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We Prepare Each Case for the Possibility of a Jury Trial
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We Commit to Constantly Adding to Our Legal Knowledge
Our Client Testimonials
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“John Pfister is by far the best Family Law Attorney in Frisco. He has represented my husband in his custody case (ongoing) as well as getting final orders in my custody case. He keeps in touch, keeps us updated, is honest and gives great advice. We couldn't be more pleased with the outcome of every Court appearance thus far. John does love a good fight (he is like a bull- he doesn't back down) and does command attention and respect, but the one thing I would never say is that he is in it for the money. The money is just a plus. He is a father himself and he genuinely cares about the children and parents that he represents. John and his staff have become more than just our "Attorney and his staff". We consider them friends, even family. We wouldn't be where we are today (an awesome family of 6) without them. They are all blessings. If you need someone to help you fight for your rights as a parent or just protect your children, John is your guy.”- R.P.
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“Overall he did everything I needed, he got my child everything he needed, he kept me calm throughout the process (even when I was anything but calm), and charged a fair price for an attorney of his caliber.”- Christian
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“As you will probably read in the previous reviews John is everything that you expect from a competent attorney. He also told me straight up from the beginning that he is not the cheapest and actually gave me a good idea of what the total cost would be. As a father going through a custody case there was obviously a lot of one-off situations and sensitive subjects that came up and John was able to walk me through everything. John was 100% committed to my case and was very straightforward in his dealings with me. As far as the 15-minute minimum billing increment previously stated, I was informed of this upfront so it was not a surprise, I simply tried to limit my non-essential communications with him. (Thought this was common sense but maybe not..) Long story short John was able to win my case and get me 100% of everything I asked for primary custody of my child which says a lot for a father in Texas, so if you are looking for someone to win your case and not just charge you the least set up a consultation with John.”- Former Client
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“I've been through two divorces with two separate attorneys, unfortunately, but choosing John Pfister was the right choice for my 2nd divorce. John and his excellent staff took the time to understand the nature of my case and the complications involved. John told me upfront that he wasn't the cheapest attorney, but he generally gave his clients the best value in the end. He over-delivered in this respect. I highly recommend a consult with John if you are looking for a competent attorney with a top-notch staff that follows through in a timely manner. My one tip for anyone going through a divorce is to do the legwork and homework on your end to the extent possible--in my case, John was completely comfortable in letting me do work instead of handing it to his staff. This produced an outcome that led to a settlement of the suit in a timely manner and at one-third of the cost of my first divorce. Get a second opinion if you need to, but just make sure one of your consultations is with John Pfister.”- Craig
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“John Pfister has been an exceptional family attorney for me during some seriously tumultuous times. My ex and I have gone through two different modifications (for reasons I will not go into). John overwhelmingly beat both attorneys both times and I now have primary custody of my son. #Fathersrights- Christian J.
A few times I was frustrated about the lack of communication but it turned out that the lack of communication was because there was nothing to tell me. Instead of billing me to tell me nothing he waited until we had a reason to talk. Many people want their attorney to hand-hold them through a very emotional time but that can get expensive. I appreciated that he looked out for my money as well as my child. My ex's attorney charged her like she was a money printing press. She paid 3x more than I did and John and I had a 100% win in court for my child.
I read another review about John that said all he cared about was winning for his client; um...isn't that the whole point of hiring him?? Overall he did everything I needed, he got my child everything he needed, he kept me calm throughout the process (even when I was anything but calm), and charged a fair price for an attorney of his caliber.
I highly recommend John Pfister and so do 2 of my friends who have had the same success with him.” -
“BLUF: John Pfister and his team are professional, they care, and they win. Also, John's an Aggie. These points alone should be enough for you to retain PBA. #Fathersrights- Bryan M.
I'm an Air Force Veteran who came home after 8 years of service only to become bitterly embroiled in a custody battle that lasted 4 years over multiple lawsuits. As you may know, the odds of winning custody of your children in Texas are similar to the odds of winning the lottery. This is especially difficult if you are Active Duty, or a Veteran that has deployed overseas. Opposing counsel will try to paint you as an absentee parent due to overseas service.
The thing that I've enjoyed the most when working with Pfister and Associates is that from day one I was part of the team. This was a team effort, and a team win. Divorce/Custody Battles are an emotional time on both sides. The team at PBA is able to strip the emotion out of the proceedings and march on to victory (This doesn't mean that they don't care!)
I have had the opportunity to sit one on one with John on numerous occasions through depositions, mediation, conferences, etc. The thing I've come to admire most is that John is a family man, and at the end of the day his goal is to help people and families who find themselves at one of the hardest transition points of their lives. I have come to respect John and his team, they have had my back through adversity and they will have yours too.
I have had multiple attorneys throughout the duration of divorce and custody battle and have watched my ex-spouse go through multiple attorneys. My case took a turn for the positive when I began to work with PBA. The team is not oriented solely towards billable hours as some of the attorneys we faced were. PBA manages your retainer to provide maximum value. My ex spent almost DOUBLE!!
I have extolled John's virtues throughout this review, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention his crackerjack team of paralegals. I generated quite a bit of material throughout my case, evidence, records, observations, and questions. I could have my own section in the library of congress. The team synthesized my information and honed the material to a knife's edge for use in court.
The cases PBA and I worked over the last 4 years culminated in multiple rulings in my favor granting me custody of my kids and ensuring that their time spent with their mother is structured, supervised, and safe. The goal was to FLY, FIGHT, and WIN. I firmly believe that retaining PBA was the best choice, and that I would not have had anywhere near the same results with another firm.
It is my intent to continue to retain PBA for all of my family law needs going forward. #Father'srights” -
“John shines in the courtroom. He is confident and knowledgeable. Very precise in his presentation and doesn't let anything get past him. Definitely glad he was on our side.”- Cassie
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“To be perfectly honest, I feel as though I had a divorce that entailed some out of the ordinary details. I filed for divorce from my ex-wife. She responded by leveling horrendous allegations against, not only myself but, my children as well. John Pfister was calm, patient and very willing to deal with this frantic father. He not only dealt with the Family Law side of my case but, also helped me through the CPS side. This whole process would have been impossible to get through without a skilled and competent attorney. John Pfister is both of these in spades. I would highly recommend Mr. Pfister if you are in- Michael
need of an attorney in the Dallas area.” -
“I would like to thank John for the hard work he did. He was always on top of things and I'm glad I could trust him with my case. His assistant Jolie was great and easy to work with. My case was involving Child Custody. I looked around and talked to other lawyers prior to talking to John, and John was the guy I went with due to his Character. He was firm in his words and knows the law. I would strongly recommend John and associates. At the end all said and done, I did get custody of my son. Once again, I am glad to have used this Law firm for my case and strongly recommend anyone going through a custody battle to consider this law firm. Thank you”- Danny G.