Wilson Whitaker Rynell

Experienced Lawyers

info@wwrlegal.com

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972-248-8080 DALLAS
713-830-2207 HOUSTON
512-691-4100 AUSTIN
wilson whitaker rynell attorneys and counselors at law logo
972-248-8080 DALLAS
713-830-2207 HOUSTON
512-691-4100 AUSTIN

GRANDPARENT CUSTODY LAWS

IN TEXAS

IN SOME STATES, GRANDPARENTS CAN BE ORDERED TO PAY CHILD SUPPORT, JUST LIKE THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO REQUEST VISITATION RIGHTS.

REPRESENTATIVE ATTORNEYS FOR GRANDPARENTS

Acting in Loco Parentis

Typically, the parent of the child is responsible for paying child support but in some circumstances, that can vary. In some cases, grandparents can even be sued for not following a court order to pay child support. 


Once a grandparent has accepted custody of their grandchild, they become “in loco parentis” and can be ordered to pay child support in some jurisdictions. In loco parentis means “in the place of a parent” in Latin. For example, say that a couple is granted custody of their grandchild but later divorce. One of the grandparents may be required to pay support to the other grandparent when they have acted as the child’s parents to the grandchild.


The court always bases decisions off of the child’s best interests. If it is found that the grandparents’ having custody is in the best interest, they will have full parental rights. If custody of the child is not needed, then the grandparents may seek grandparent visitation rights. 

Minor Parents With Minor Children

The establishment of the Texas State Disbursement Unit (SDU) is mandated by federal law under the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PROWA) and requires states to establish a central location for processing child support payments.


The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PROWA) gives states the option to require grandparents to be held liable for child support if the custodial parent is a minor and receives government assistance. For instance, one minor parent has custody of the child and receives government assistance, and the other parent is ordered to pay child support but simply does not have the money. The grandparents, the parents of the minor that can’t make payments, can then be held responsible for the child support payments.


Currently, not all states have laws requiring grandparents to pay child support. The sates, as of now, that do follow PROWA nclude Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.


Additionally, states like Maryland and North Carolina extend the responsibility for child support to the parents of the custodial parent as well as the parents of the noncustodial parent.

If you have more questions regarding a grandparent’s responsibility for child support payments, the attorneys at our firm are prepared to assist you. Please contact our office to schedule a free consultation. 

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Female Divorce Attorneys in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area In many instances, divorce cases are challenging and emotionally taxing experiences. For this reason, it’s common for people to prefer working with an attorney of the same gender because they feel as though the attorney can empathize and understand their situation more. At the end of the day, the gender of your attorney may not affect the outcome of your case, but it’s important to feel as comfortable as possible while navigating through the process. At Wilson Whitaker Rynell, our experienced female divorce attorneys offer compassionate and empathetic approaches while they develop a comprehensive legal strategy to represent you. Why Should You Choose a Female Divorce Lawyer? There are many reasons why hiring a female divorce attorney can help you throughout your divorce. For one, they often have experience working on issues that disproportionately affect women in divorce such as spousal support (alimony), child custody disputes, and asset division. Additionally, female divorce lawyers offer a unique level of empathy, understanding, and communication. As a result, many clients feel that they are more approachable and compassionate, which is beneficial when dealing with the emotional turmoil of the process. More importantly, female divorce attorneys are more familiar with how the court treats women in divorce cases and use this knowledge to strategically protect their clients’ interests, whether male or female. Why Our Female Divorce Attorneys May be Right for You At Wilson Whitaker Rynell, our female divorce attorneys are skilled, knowledgeable professionals, they also have many years of experience in handling complex divorce cases. 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