Texas courts do not grant sole managing conservatorship simply because parents disagree. Many parents have conflict during a divorce or custody case. The court looks at whether the facts show that sole managing conservatorship would better serve the child’s best interest.
A court may consider sole managing conservatorship when there are serious concerns involving family violence, child abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, substance abuse, or safety risks to the child’s physical or emotional well-being. A parent’s long absence from the child’s life may also matter, especially if the absence has affected the child’s stability, care, or relationship with that parent.
Serious conflict may also become relevant when it prevents shared decision-making. For example, if parents cannot communicate about medical care, school issues, or the child’s safety without repeated conflict, the court may need to decide whether one parent should have final authority over certain decisions.
Even when one parent is named sole managing conservator, the other parent is not automatically removed from the child’s life. Depending on the facts, the court may order regular visitation, supervised visitation, counseling, or other conditions or restrictions designed to protect the child.
