Legal Question in Family Law in Texas
My 5 yr old daughter's father wants to go to court to obtain visitation rights. My daughter and I live in Houston and he in Dallas. He has never paid child support. He only comes around to see her two to three times a year. When he does, he is usually late due to being hung-over from his drinking habits. He has past records of being incarcerated for drinking and driving and has even fled secretly from Dallas to New York to avoid arrest. He's had a restriction order placed against him for violence from a previous job - attacked his manager and a co worker. He has been abusive with me in the past as well although i never reported him out of fear. He is physically handicap and has hurt my daughter before due to his inability to lift her and move her around. He was also previously accused of inappropriately touching his cousin's daughter - even though it couldn't be proved to be true or not. What chances do I have of preventing him from having visitation or at least keeping it to the minimum based on his background?
1 Answer from Attorneys
I assume that paternity has never been established.
Wait until he files his paternity suit (which may be never), and when he does, tell the Judge what you told me.
In the meantime, be thinking about what kind of visitation order you would suggest to the Judge - a limited amount of time? Supervised by someone?