Divorce often raises concerns about the well-being of children in a particular set of circumstances. However, not every Texas child custody case involves parents who were once married to each other. There are many cases where the parents of a child had a dating relationship in the past but were never married. Such is the case for former “Teen Mom OG” star, Amber Portwood. Portwood has been in the news on several occasions for confrontations she has had with the father of her now 2-year-old son.
A recent court ruling granted Portwood a restraining order against her former boyfriend. The judge who signed the order ruled that the father may no longer interfere in any way with Portwood’s parenting time with her toddler. The father issued a statement saying that he hopes Portwood can forgive herself for things she has done to him in the past and learn to move on in life in a healthier manner.
When the child in question was just a 1-year-old, Portwood was arrested for domestic battery against the father. Police who responded to a call said Portwood was wielding a machete while the father was holding their son. The reality star was also charged with reckless use of a weapon and child endangerment. She entered into a plea agreement and was placed on probation.
If a Texas parent believes his or her co-parent is placing a child at risk, it’s possible to petition the court for sole custody. In cases where a child’s parents were never married, the court will first make a ruling regarding paternity before entertaining child custody and parenting time concerns. If a judge has granted a restraining order, the terms of the court order must be followed precisely. In this particular case, the court stated that violating the restraining order could result in the father being ruled in contempt of court and having to do community service, as well pay legal fees and court costs associated with the case.
