Back to Learning Center

Video

Specialty tag(s): Child Custody

How Co-parenting is Affected if a Parent is Potentially Exposed to COVID-19?

Lindsey Obenhaus, Aimee Pingenot Key | April 16, 2020

This is an area where the Texas Supreme Court has not made any specific rulings or guidance for parents. However, individual counties have guidance and direction on exposure. In Dallas County, if a conservator has reason to believe that he/she has been exposed to the COVID-19 virus, that conservator shall notify the other conservator and they shall confer to discuss actions necessary to protect the child’s safety and wellbeing.  In making a decision whether visitation between a parent and a child shall continue, it is best to first confer with the health care provider, if possible, regarding your child and their potential exposure to the virus. If you decide that there is reasonable concern for your child’s safety and welfare making visitation impossible, a parent should employ electronic communication and visitation and also resume visitation as soon as possible after self isolation has ended. Additionally, parents should be prepared to offer and expect makeup time for any missed visitation.

Co-parenting is hard, even in the best of circumstances, and during this time, it is even harder. However, parents should try to be a team in this situation, even if it is difficult. This is not the time to keep a minute accounting of how many overnights the other parent has had or to argue that the current school closures should be treated like summer vacation. The most important priority today is to ensure the safety of your family and the public. Talk through concerns and be open to new arrangements.  Attorneys should encourage parents to keep detailed records, including contact with the other parent in writing (by text or email), explaining what concerns are about the current custody plan in light of exposure, and proposing a reasonable solution. While family law is often contentious, a child should have as much consistency and stability with visitation as possible.

Services to Help Solve Your Challenges

Our attorneys are experienced in all aspects of family law and will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring you have the information you need to make wise decisions and prepare for the future.

Get in Touch

At Goranson Bain Ausley, we strive to deliver clarity about what comes next and confidence that you and your family’s future are more secure. Contact our team and discover how we can help you.

“I treat every client like my only client.”

Request A Consultation

“I am compassionate, straightforward, and focused with my clients to help them solve problems wisely and achieve their most important goals.”

Request A Consultation

News

2023 Goranson Bain Ausley Super Lawyers

25 Goranson Bain Ausley Attorneys Named Texas Super Lawyers 2023

25 of Goranson Bain Ausley’s family law attorneys have been honored in the 2023 Texas Super Lawyers list published by Thomson Reuters.

Blog

Cindy Tisdale smiling

Cindy V. Tisdale

Every Choice Is a Chance

GBA Partner and State Bar of Texas President, Cindy Tisdale, addresses the members of the Bar in the September Issue of the Texas Bar Journal.

Latest Resources

Lets's Get Started

Pay Online

Austin

Dallas

Fort Worth

Granbury

Plano

Tarrant County