Generally speaking, a Texas judge won’t alter a custody or visitation agreement because you drank a beer in front of your kids. However, if you drink to the point that you can’t care for a son or daughter, you might be at risk of losing your parental rights. Let’s take a closer look at how a substance abuse problem may impact your ability to maintain a close relationship with your children.
Courts take substance abuse allegations seriously
At a minimum, a court will order an investigation into any allegations that you have a drug or alcohol problem. This is done to ensure that your children aren’t subject to neglect, abuse or anything else that might put their safety in jeopardy. In some cases, your son or daughter will be removed from your home while such an investigation is ongoing.
What happens if the allegations are verified?
If the evidence supports the allegation that you have a substance abuse problem, you’ll likely be subject to supervised visitation with your kids. In many cases, the supervision will continue until you complete a rehab program or take other steps to show that your circumstances have changed. It’s also possible that you’ll be limited to electronic visitation with your children, which means that all communications will take place by phone, email or videoconference.
A court’s top priority is ensuring that your children are safe when they are with their parents. Your attorney may take a variety of steps to show that you do not drink, smoke or otherwise engage in actions that could put them in harm’s way. Alternatively, your legal adviser may be able to prove that you have taken steps to overcome a substance abuse problem.
