Divorce can be more complicated for same-sex couples in Texas if they have children. People usually need to consider factors such as child support and child custody.
Some people may think that they will only need to pay child support if they adopted their child. LiveAbout.com says that adoption usually is not a factor in child support. Instead, a court usually considers how involved each parent was. If a parent planned on starting a family, then he or she can typically be required to pay child support. A court may also consider whether both parents introduced children to others as a family member and whether both went to doctor’s appointments for the child.
Sometimes it may be difficult for parents to get custody and visitation rights if they are not a biological parent of their child. This is because some courts do not always recognize a parental relationship if a person is not legally connected to his or her child. It is important for people to remember that child custody may become difficult if someone moves outside of Texas. Other states may not always recognize a custody arrangement, particularly if both parents are not legally connected to the child.
Same-sex couples usually need to decide on a parenting plan as well. According to FindLaw, this means establishing who has physical and legal custody of a child. Same-sex parents may decide that it is best for their child to live with both of them and that they should make joint decisions about their child’s health and education. They also need to decide how much time their child will spend with both of them and how they will divide vacations and holidays. A Texas judge usually needs to look over this agreement to approve of the arrangement.