Child Custody Attorney Conroe TX — Fritz & Phillips Law
Child custody is the most important issue in any family law case. Fritz & Phillips is based in Conroe — local attorneys who practice in the Montgomery County Family Law Courts every day, fighting to protect your relationship with your children. Free consultation.
Conroe Child Custody Attorney — Protecting Your Rights in the Courts That Matter
Child custody cases in Montgomery County are decided in the local Family Law Courts — and having an attorney who practices there regularly is not a small advantage. Fritz & Phillips is based at 141 N. San Jacinto Street, steps from the courthouse. We know the local judges, understand how Montgomery County courts evaluate contested custody matters, and we move efficiently because we are already here.
In Texas, child custody is governed by the concept of conservatorship — who has the legal right to make decisions for the child — and possession and access, which determines the physical schedule each parent follows. The standard possession order provides a baseline, but courts can deviate based on the best interest of the child, the parents' circumstances, and the child's needs. Getting the right custody arrangement in place requires both a thorough understanding of Texas law and the ability to present your case effectively to the specific court that will decide it.
Fritz & Phillips handles initial custody orders in divorce and SAPCR proceedings, contested custody modifications when circumstances change, emergency custody matters, and enforcement actions when a parent violates an existing order. Attorney Keith Phillips's background as a former CPS caseworker also provides direct insight into cases involving child welfare concerns, protective orders, or agency involvement.
Conservatorship, Possession & the Best Interest Standard
Conservatorship
Texas uses "conservatorship" rather than legal custody. Joint managing conservatorship — the default — means both parents share decision-making rights over education, healthcare, and other major decisions. Sole managing conservatorship grants one parent exclusive rights and is awarded when joint conservatorship would significantly impair the child's welfare.
Possession & Access
The possession order determines where the child lives and when each parent has time. The Standard Possession Order provides a baseline schedule — typically the non-primary parent has the 1st, 3rd, and 5th weekends, alternating holidays, and extended summer time. Courts can grant expanded, modified, or entirely customized schedules based on the child's best interest and each parent's circumstances.
Best Interest Standard
All Texas custody decisions are governed by what is in the best interest of the child. Courts weigh each parent's stability, the child's current routine and relationships, any history of family violence or substance abuse, the child's preferences if old enough, and the ability of each parent to support the child's relationship with the other parent. Building the right evidentiary record on these factors is where custody cases are won or lost.
Custody Modifications & Enforcement in Montgomery County
Modifying a Custody Order
Texas allows custody modifications when there has been a material and substantial change in circumstances since the last order — such as a parent relocating, a significant change in the child's needs, a new safety concern, or a major change in a parent's situation. The modification standard is more flexible within one year of the original order if the child's present environment presents a danger.
If you need to modify an existing custody order — or if the other parent is attempting to change terms you want to protect — Fritz & Phillips builds the evidentiary record the court needs to rule in your favor.
Enforcing a Custody Order
When a parent violates a custody order — denying possession time, failing to return a child, relocating without notice, or interfering with the other parent's rights — Texas courts have strong enforcement tools including contempt of court, make-up possession time, attorney's fee awards, and in serious cases, modification of the primary custody arrangement.
Document violations and contact us promptly. Enforcement actions move faster when the evidence is fresh and the pattern is established early.
Child Custody Representation Throughout Montgomery County & Greater Houston
Fritz & Phillips — Fighting for Your Children in Montgomery County
Jessica Fritz
Licensed since 2008. Jessica has represented parents in Montgomery County custody matters for nearly two decades — building the factual record needed to protect parental rights and secure possession arrangements that serve the children's best interests.
Keith Phillips
Licensed since 2016, mediator since 2020. Keith's background as a former CPS caseworker gives him direct insight into how courts and agencies evaluate child welfare in custody matters — a real advantage in contested cases and any proceeding involving protective concerns or agency involvement.