Child custody issues and disputes are never a joy to navigate. There are some common myths about your rights, and the rights of your child, that are important to clarify as you head into your child custody battle and all that it entails. As you search for the best child custody attorney in San Antonio, Texas, here are some custody myths clarified.

Is Child Custody Possible If You Aren’t The Parent?

The short answer: absolutely. Child custody is not just relevant to biological parents. Grandparents, other relatives, or adoptive parents can all be involved in obtaining partial or full child custody rights. It doesn’t necessarily have to do with who is their closest blood relation, but who is most willing and best equipped to help care for the child’s full spectrum of needs and keep them safe.

Can A Child Custody Agreement Happen Outside Of Court?

While child custody is a legal agreement, it doesn’t mean that your private affairs have to be disclosed in a public way inside of a courtroom to obtain custody. The details of an agreement aren’t put on display in a courtroom setting, but are discussed privately between you and your ex with the assistance of your lawyers before you ever meet before a judge. This means that the details can be decided in a private way before the agreement itself is signed off on in court.

Does Religion Or Sexual Activity Of The Parent Have Anything To Do With It?

In general, no. A parent’s professed religion does not typically play a factor unless the religion in question is cult-like in nature and unsafe activities are involved that put a child’s wellbeing at risk. The same is true of a sexually active parent having relationship with a person or people other than the child’s other parent. This sexual behavior doesn’t necessarily deem a parent unfit to retain custody of their child, as long as it doesn’t interfere with a child’s safety. Child safety and wellbeing are the paramount issues in considering these factors.

Can You Block Your Ex From Your Phone?

There are ways that communication limits can be put on how the parents interact with each other, but the fact remains that if there is no abuse involved, both parents retain the right to custody of the child and the right to stay in communication with each other. This means that completely blocking all communication from your ex may not be feasible because they’ll need to legally be able to get in touch with their own children. However, again, limits on how frequent this communication is and what form it takes can be a part of the custody agreement.

Are A Child’s Wishes Part Of The Custody Discussion?

A child’s wishes are definitely part of how the agreement is structured, and they play a huge factor for children who are particularly keen to live with someone who happens to be neither of their biological parents, such as a grandparent, which is important to know as you look for the best child custody attorney in San Antonio, Texas.