Terminating Child Custody Orders

Once parents have a custody order codified, courts tend to keep it in place to provide stability for children. There are, however, reasons that child custody could be modified or even terminated. If you suspect your child’s other parent is putting your child in danger, our compassionate Missouri City custody termination lawyer at Angela Faye Brown & Associates may be able to help. Our experienced child custody attorneys could analyze the case against your child’s custodial parent and advise you whether the issues would be severe enough to lose their parenting rights.

Child Protective Services In Missouri City May Terminate Custody

Child protective services, or CPS, has the power to remove a child from their primary caregiver if they or their home have been deemed unfit for children.

Substance Abuse

The primary way that a parent loses custody of their child is by falling into a drug or alcohol abuse pattern. If drug abuse is suspected, you can request that your family lawyer ask the court to order the other parent to take a drug test. If the test is positive, that can be used to demonstrate that the parent is unfit. Someone who relies on drugs or alcohol will be unable to care properly for their child, since the substances can alter the mind or even make them pass out. Alternatively, drug addicts are more likely to be volatile and/or spend time around volatile people, putting their kids in danger.

Domestic Violence

Another reason that CPS will terminate a primary custody arrangement is if the parent becomes involved with an abusive partner. The court could pull a child out of the home if they are being abused by their parent’s partner, or they witness their parent being abused. Both situations could have a profound effect on a developing child.

Our motived lawyer could use the evidence of unsafe situations at the custodial parent’s home to encourage CPS to open a case that will remove the child from the parent’s care.

Unstable Parents Are Often Deemed Unfit

A parent can be deemed unstable for many reasons, such as having an undiagnosed or untreated mental or physical illness that affects their ability to take care of their child. If their illness prevents them from working and they lose their home, a good argument could be made that they are not in a place to raise children.

Another scenario that could call a parent’s fitness into question is if the primary caregiver is unable to consistently get their child to school. Ensuring their kid receives a quality education is an obligation, and if they fail to do so, they may lose custody.

Our hard-working Missouri City attorneys could gather evidence from the other parent’s employer(s) and landlords, as well as the child’s school, to make a case that the child would be better off out of their care.

Neglecting A Child Could Terminate Custody

While either of the above scenarios can lead to neglect, it is also its own multifaceted problem. In its most basic form, neglect means failing to meet a child’s basic needs. Neglect can be anything from leaving young children without proper supervision, to not addressing medical problems in a timely manner, to allowing their education to fall by the wayside.

Neglect may also look like not caring about their child’s hygiene in an age-appropriate way. For example, if a parent does not change a six-month’s old diaper consistently, causing the child to get a rash or an infection, the parent could be considered neglectful. If the child is a menstruating pre-teen, the parent is required to provide them with sanitary napkins, and not doing so is considered neglectful.

Witnessing the neglect of a child is always difficult. Our driven attorneys in Missouri City could begin the process of removing neglected children from unsafe homes.

Call A Missouri City Custody Termination Attorney Today

Realizing that your child is not safe with their other parent is heartbreaking. Whether the parent is suffering from substance abuse, experiencing domestic violence, or any other life situation that is making them an unfit caregiver, protecting your child is most important.

Our skilled Missouri City custody termination lawyer could present the evidence to CPS, who may advocate for removal of the child. Reach out to Angela Faye Brown & Associates to learn more today. Call us in Houston at 281-975-0307 or in Austin at 512-572-1207.