The Texas Supreme Court will soon be hearing oral arguments that will test the limits of parental rights in what could be a historic landmark case.
A four year old girl’s future hangs in the balance. Her mother died tragically in a car crash and a court granted custody to the mother’s boyfriend, who had only lived with the child for a few months. The father wants his daughter.
All parties in a lawsuit agree that the father is fit as a parent. Cordell - Cordell is an internationally celebrated firm that specializes in representation of fathers in divorce and custody cases. Partner Kelly Burris says there are instances when non-parents are granted custody, but this is unusual. “If a non-parent has raised a child, tearing a child away from that person could be detrimental for the child, but that does not appear to be the case here,” she says. The boyfriend wants to share custody. “As long as there is no serious concern regarding the welfare of a child, a parents’ right to make decisions for his child, including who should associate with the child, is paramount to raising kids.”
Some experts believe the Texas high court could introduce an opinion that would remove any ambiguities sometimes used to belittle parental rights.