Many grandparents play a crucial role in their grandchildren’s lives and in some situations, they can continue to do so even after the child’s parents have dissolved their marriage. However, this is not always true, in which case, children may be prevented by one parent from seeing their grandparents. In Texas, it is possible for grandparents to receive a court order allowing them to visit their grandchildren, although obtaining such an order can be a difficult process, especially if one of the child’s parents vehemently opposes visitation, so if you are seeking visitation with your grandchild, it is critical to contact a complex child custody lawyer who has the experience and resources to assist you.

Establishing Standing

Grandparents must have standing before visitation will be granted, which means that they must be able to prove the following:

Even when a couple chooses not to officially get married, their relationship may qualify as a common law marriage. In these cases, separating couples are still required to go through the process of divorce, so if you have questions about whether your relationship qualifies as a common law marriage and what steps you need to take to obtain a divorce, it is critical to contact an experienced complex divorce attorney who can explain your rights and responsibilities.

Common Law Marriage Requirements

Before ending a long-term relationship, couples should make sure that their union does not qualify as a common law marriage, which requires that the couple has:

This year, a number of family law-related bills will be introduced in Texas. For instance, one new bill will make significant changes to the guidelines regarding access to grandchildren. This area of the law can be complicated, so if you have questions or concerns about your visitation rights with a grandchild, it is crucial to speak with an experienced complex child custody attorney who can explain your legal rights and obligations.

Filing a Petition

Currently, Texas law allows grandparents to request access to a grandchild by either:

In some cases, separating couples are not required to go through the time-consuming process of a divorce, but instead can obtain an annulment. However, courts do not grant no-fault annulments, which means that in order to obtain an annulment, a couple must demonstrate that a marriage was void or voidable. Although annulling a marriage can save time and money in the long run, it is not the best course of action for every couple, so if you are considering ending your marriage, it is crucial to contact an experienced complex divorce attorney who can explain your options.

Void Marriages

In Texas, annulments can be used to invalidate two types of marriages, those that are considered void and those that are voidable. Void marriages are those that were never legal, which in Texas means that they were either incestuous or bigamous in nature. Most bigamy-related annulments involve situations where a party did not wait the required 30 days after the finalization of a divorce before marrying someone else. In these types of cases, the new spouse could legally annul the marriage. However, he or she would only have until the couple’s one year anniversary to do so.

After an adoption or disestablishment of paternity, many parents wish to officially change their child’s last name. This process can be complex and requires strict adherence to certain court procedures, so if you are interested in legally changing the name of your child, it is crucial to retain the services of an experienced complex child custody attorney.

Petition Requirements

Only certain individuals are permitted to file a petition to legally change a minor’s name, including the child’s: