Legal Question in Family Law in Texas

He keeps pushing me away from her

Hi,

I am having a conflict with my ex-husband over deciding the godparents for her baptism. He wanted to pick 2 people and I also wanted to pick 2 people for her. He does not want the people I have picked because they are my new husband's sister and husband.. Long story short he threatened that he would take me back to court and have me striped of my religious rights to her.. As it stands now, we have the same right to raise her the way we want when she is in possession respectively. Can he take this right away? I am trying to be involved in her life , not trying to stop her from getting baptized. Also, because she is getting baptized on his weekend does this give him the authority to solely decide on the godparents?


Asked on 2/09/06, 2:16 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Fran Brochstein Attorney & Mediator

Re: He keeps pushing me away from her

The courts, generally speaking, will not get involved regarding religious choices.

You can take the child to any church on your week-ends and he is free to take her to any church he wants to on his weeks.

If you want to baptize her on your week-end, you can do it. There is nothing stopping you from having more than one baptizism.

He is free to file for a modification in court, of course.

If you can't agree to godparents, then she can have 2 sets.

Of course, I understand why he does not want your husband's family as her godparents. Were you purposely trying to upset him?

If you stand back and look at this from the outside, your choice of godparents is very insensative for the father of the child.

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Answered on 2/09/06, 3:42 pm
TC Langford Langford Law Office

Re: He keeps pushing me away from her

I agree with everything Ms. Brochstein has said.

My comment is not a legal one particularly. Go to the pastor/priest. Without going into details, just tell them you have not been able to agree on who the godparents will be. They will let you have more than two. Since you have an infant you are somewhat new at this -- but just as an aside, there will many years of disagreements like this and your child's life is going to be miserable if you cannot find compromises.

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Answered on 2/10/06, 9:13 am


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