T
he Texas Family Code standard possession order (SPO) sets forth a schedule of weekend possession (first, third, and fifth weekends) each month both as to parents who live within 100 miles of each other, or who live more than 100 miles apart. But there is an approaching holiday that supersedes any conflicting weekend possession regardless of the distance the parents reside apart.
That holiday is Mother’s Day. The SPO provides that a mother who is a conservator of a child under the order shall have possession of the child beginning at 6 p.m. on the Friday before Mother’s Day, and ending at 6 p.m. on Mother’s Day. If that weekend is not one under the SPO that would have been her weekend, then she will pick the child up from the residence of the other conservator who would have had possession that weekend and must return the child to the same place at the end of the Mother’s Day possession.
But wait—there’s more, the same precedence is given to a conservator who is a father for Father’s Day weekend which falls in June of each year.
It is the declared public policy of this state to assure children have frequent and continuing contact with parents who have shown the ability to act in their children’s best interest, and a strong statement about the importance of each parent’s role is made by giving precedence to these special days.
Wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day (and an early Happy Father’s Day next month)!