Legal Question in Family Law in Texas
Teen mother in need
My 15 year old daughter, who lives in Texas, is pregnant and due to give birth in October, 2 months after her 16th birthday. She has expressed the wish to live with the baby's father and his family (he is 17 and lives with is mother and grand parents). Her reason for this decision is the fact that her father is verbally abusing her, which has been the case for a while but has gotten worse since she has become pregnant, and the fact that the enviroment there is unhealthy, since both, her father and stepmother are chain smokers. She has also reported to me that she has been slapped on occasion.
I support her decision, since I know how unhappy she has been for the past few years and I know she would be well provided for at the home of her baby's fahter. I would like for her to come and live with me, however, I live in California and she wants to stay in Texas. What can I do to help her? There is no reasoning with her father. He wants total control of her and will do anything to get his way.
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Teen mother in need
Your daughter needs to assert herself aggressively. First, she is old enough to choose her managaging conservator and can do that by proper application with the Court. Second, if she has been the recent victim of family violence (slapped), she can apply for a protective order to keep her father away. I don't know where she lives, but the DA's office might have attorneys to help her with the protective order and maybe there is a pro bono asssociation to help her with the application.
Re: Teen mother in need
15 years old, the court is going to let her live wherever she pleases. What court were the original child custody orders made in? That is the court you have to go back to. The child can get an emancipation in Texas or you can modify custody where the last order was made.
Re: Teen mother in need
Your daughter has become an adult by her actions. A bit younger than I would have chosen but there it is. I suggest that you help her in getting early emancipation. She files in the court of continuing jurisdiction - where you and her father were divorced. If she is now in a different county she needs to file a motion to transfer where she lives. I suggest your help will be in telling her to call the county bar association where she lives for a referral and some money for attorney fees would be helpful. If she is in Tarrant County, Dallas County or nearby I would be glad to talk to her. Phone is 817 261-2671
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