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In this article, you can discover…
- How supervised possession schedules can help in difficult family situations.
- Whether supervised schedules can be transitioned.
- How to approach inaccurate accusations of violence as a parent.
What Is A Supervised Possession Schedule?
Supervised protection schedules allow a child to have a limited amount of supervised time with a parent who has been found to be a possible threat to the child. In many cases, a supervised possession schedule is ordered when domestic violence has occurred, but this is not always the case.
For example, it may be that one parent has fought with, yelled at, threatened, or struck the other, yet not in the presence of the child. Nor was the child ever a target of that parent’s anger or violence. In such a case, a judge may or may not rule that a supervised schedule is needed, as the child was not present for the violence, nor was the child physically harmed.
Having said that, if you feel unsafe around the other party or worry that they may harm or neglect your child, you can and should request a supervised possession schedule. For such a petition to be successful, specific incidents will have to be brought to light. For example…
- What happened during the incident? Was there violence or assault?
- What did the child see?
- Was the child a target of the violence?
- How might the child’s emotional wellbeing or safety be affected if in the other party’s care?
This applies not only to physical abuse but also to negligent or irresponsible behavior and substance abuse. For example, leaving a child in the car while a parent visits a club, bringing a child to an inappropriate environment, or drug use.
What Does A Supervised Possession Schedule Look Like?
Supervised possessions schedules typically allow a parent an hour or two of supervised time with the child on the first, third, and fifth weekends. No overnight time is allowed. Court-ordered supervisors stay with the child and parent throughout the visit. These are often social workers, but can also be a responsible family member, such as a grandparent.
During supervised visits, the role of the supervisor is to be attentive and protective, to stay with both the parent and the child throughout the visit, and to report any irresponsible or illegal parental behavior observed during the visit.
What if you’re ordered to be on a supervised possession schedule with your child? Respecting the supervisor, abiding by the rules of the order, and demonstrating safe and responsible behavior during visits can give you an opportunity to petition the court for more time with your child. While acceptance of this petition is not guaranteed, showing the courts that you are safe and careful during visits will always help your case.
Attorney Sarahi Saucedo is a hard-working lawyer serving Texas. She’s made family law her primary focus and has helped clients just like you navigate difficult family dynamics and better understand what to expect during supervised possession.
Have questions or concerns about supervised possession in Texas? Reach out to The Law Office of Andy Nguyen at (817) 532-5666 for an initial consultation today!
Can Supervise Possession Schedules Be Transitioned?
In some cases, yes. For example, if you demonstrate responsibility and respect for your child’s wellbeing, attend court-ordered classes (such as anger management classes) and modify your behavior and attitudes over time, a court may decide to allow you unsupervised time with your child.
Be aware, however, that these decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. You will still need to petition for this transition. But if you’ve made serious strides in correcting or overcoming the behavior that led to supervised time being required, you should definitely feel encouraged, with your attorney’s help, to petition for unsupervised access to your child.
How Should I Handle A Parent Making False Claims Of Violent Behavior?
Sometimes, the other parent may accuse you of violent, harmful, or negligent behavior when you haven’t done anything wrong. When this happens, it’s important to establish what the other parent’s accusations are, if they have concrete examples of abuse, or if their assertions are vague and fueled more by anger than by facts.
One of my goals as an attorney is to help parents manage their negative emotions during a divorce. The pain, bitterness, and frustration surrounding this time can lead parties to exaggerate or lash out. Getting to the truth is important, as is investing all accusations of abuse thoroughly.
In short, there’s no need for you to have your parental rights threatened due to pettiness or unfounded claims. As a family law attorney, I can help meaningfully direct conversations to establish whether or not the other parties’ claims are grounded in truth. And help both you and the other party work cooperatively and honestly towards your child’s best interests.
For more information on Supervised Possession Schedules, an initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you are seeking by calling (817) 532-5666 today.
