Houston Divorce And Family Law Blog

As difficult as child custody issues in Texas can be to resolve, matters become even more complicated when one parent moves out of state, whether by choice or by necessity. If you are a parent dealing with interstate custody issues, whether you are the parent moving or the parent left behind, you should know that moving your children to another state does not nullify the existing child custody agreement. According to FindLaw, the federal Full Faith and Credit Law requires states to abide by and enforce valid custody orders made elsewhere and prevents them from modifying orders made in another jurisdiction. 

In an interstate custody dispute, determining which state has jurisdiction is vitally important. The law considers the state where the child has lived with one or both parents for at least six months to be the home state. All custody and visitation determinations made in the home state are subject to the Full Faith and Credit Law, including initial orders, temporary orders, permanent orders and modifications. 

The holidays can bring many things with them. For parents, this can include worries about whether the kids will have a good time. These concerns can be especially pronounced for parents who have recently gone through a divorce. A divorce changes many things about what the holidays look like for a family and has the potential to inject a lot of added emotion into the season.

It is important for parents to remember that, in the midst of these changes and emotions, they can take steps towards helping the holidays stay joyful for them and the children. These measures include: