Possession or Visitation Rights

The presumption is that parties will be appointed joint managing conservators with one party having primary possession (the child lives with them) and the other party having a standard possession schedule. If good cause is shown, the court can order a possession schedule that varies from a standard possession schedule. Additionally, the possession schedule can be written to address individual preferences, as needed. The possession schedule is not intended to be set in stone, but rather, to insure that the noncustodial parent is insured minimum contact with their child. Thus, the first paragraph of a possession schedule usually states that the parties will have the children at all times mutually agreed upon, but failing mutual agreement, they must follow the schedule. The idea is that the parties will make the possession schedule work for them and the children, but if they are unable to work together, they will be able to follow the schedule set out in the order.