Joint Managing Conservatorship - What is It?
Section 101.016 of the Texas Family Code defines “Joint Managing Conservatorship” as the sharing of the rights and duties of a parent by two parties, ordinarily parents, even if the exclusive right to make certain decisions may be awarded to one party.
Under Texas law it is presumed that the best interests of a child is served if the parents are appointed Joint Managing Conservators (JMCs) so long as doing so would not significantly impair the child’s physical health or emotional well-being. For instance, if a court finds that one of the spouses has a history of domestic violence, then the JMC presumption would be rebutted.
Even though Texas courts generally award joint managing conservatorship, one parent over the other is usually given the primary right to designate the child’s residence based on a geographic restriction, such as Harris County and the surrounding contiguous counties.
