Houston Rights and Duties Lawyer

If you are concerned about establishing or protecting your rights and duties as a parent after divore, Gregory Law PLLC can help. Before divorce, both parents share all the rights and duties of parenting, including both housing the child and making important decisions for them. After divorce, however, it is impossible for both parents to retain all of these rights and duties equally. One of the most important aspects of getting a divorce is creating a parenting plan that lays out what rights and duties each parent has.

You want to always make sure your voice is heard on every important decision involving your children, even when you and your partner are no longer together. You don’t want to be left out of important decisions or denied important information about medical treatment, school attendance, and religious affiliation, among other aspects.

Gregory Law PLLC can help you and your partner create a parenting plan that works for everyone, and make sure your rights are respected after this plan is finalized. This is an incredibly important aspect of the custody agreement, and it can be confusing to try to work through on your own. If you or someone you know is in the Houston area needs to establish or defend their rights and duties as a parent, contact Gregory Law PLLC at (713) 861-1293 today to explore your legal options.

How a Lawyer Can Help

Establishing parental rights and duties can be extremely complicated. The difference between an “independently held” right and an “exclusive” right may not be obvious to parents trying to make a parenting plan on their own. They may also not understand the difference between a right “with agreement” and a right “with consultation,” and what the consequences of all these possible combinations might be. Bringing in a lawyer to help you craft your initial parenting plan will ensure that you know exactly what you are agreeing to and what it will mean for your relationship with your children.

Furthermore, after a parenting plan has been established, a lawyer can be essential if your rights and duties aren’t being respected. These disputes between co-parents can be as simple as choosing a school or as complicated as choosing the right medical treatment or religion for a child. If your parenting plan gives you rights or duties that your former spouse then ignores, you may need to go all the way to court. A lawyer can use your parenting plan, the law, and skilled legal arguments to show that your rights were violated and ensure they are respected in the future.

Why Choose Gregory Law PLLC?

Gregory Law PLLC has built a successful practice based on our legal knowledge and skill combined with a focus on our clients. We understand that what we do deeply impacts real families, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

Over the 30 years of legal experience, Myrna Gregory has helped resolve serious disputes between parents countless times, whether those disputes required a fair hearing of all views in mediation or fierce arguments in court.

When you need to make sure the right choices are made for your children, you can’t afford to trust a lawyer that doesn’t care or know how to handle your case. With Gregory Law PLLC, you’ll have a lawyer you can trust to make sure your rights and duties as a parent are respected, no matter the context of the disagreement.

Rights and Duties Issues We Will Help You With

Parental rights and duties cover every aspect of parenting, from school to health to religion and more. Some of the common rights and duties that have to be addressed in a parenting plan, and that are often disputed later, include the following:

• The choice of schools a child attends: This dispute can include issues such as which school district a child should attend (if the parents live in different districts) or whether the child should attend a public, private, religious, or home school.
• Elective medical and dental procedures: When it comes to medicine that isn’t necessarily required but which might have some benefits, there are often fierce disputes about the necessity and benefits versus the risks. These can include everything from elective surgery to getting braces.
• The use of counseling or other mental health services: Deciding whether a child would benefit from counseling or some other mental health assistance can be serious. Parents may have completely opposing views of the benefits of certain mental health options.  When it comes to the child’s emotional well-being, it’s important everyone is on the same page for treatment. We can help mediate these discussions or argue for your side in a court.
• Vaccinations and medications: Vaccinations have become hotly disputed in recent years. Likewise, many parents have concerns about serious medications, such as those for mental health issues like ADHD. With our help, you can work through these issues and reach the right decision for your child.
• The religion or culture a child is brought up in: Many children are born of parents with very different religious and cultural backgrounds. At times, this can lead to friction as decisions about observing certain rites and customs arise or as the child reaches an age in which more dedication to a religion or culture is required.

How much say you have in these decisions, and many others, will depend on your parenting plan. Certain decisions may be the right of one parent exclusively, both parents with agreement, or both parents independently but with notice. Determining how much say each parent has for every possible right and duty is complicated and emotionally taxing, as is defending rights that may have been violated. Gregory Law PLLC is ready to assist you in any legal process relating to parental rights and duties.

Contact Us

One of your primary duties as a parent is to raise your children in the way you think is best. That requires you remain informed and that your opinion is respected on all major decisions. If you are concerned about establishing or enforcing your parental rights and duties, it’s time to contact Gregory Law PLLC. Call our child support and custody attorneys at (713) 861-1293 so we can provide you with the experienced, compassionate assistance you deserve.