What to Expect for the July Texas Standard Possession Order

July is upon us. Summer is here and so is the Texas heat! What important questions do we need to be answered for July and the Texas standard possession order?

Non Custodial Parent

1. If you are the parent who exercises standard visitation in Texas, the non-custodial parent (NCP), and you did not designate specific dates for your thirty days for extended summer possession by April 1st, then you will have the default thirty days beginning July 1st and ending July 31st.
2. If you did designate specific days for your thirty day extended summer possession (and it was not the month of July), then you will have your normal first, third, and fifth weekend periods of possession which would be the 3rd, the 17th, and the 31st. Typically these possessions will begin on Friday, but check your order for the specific times as to when they begin and end.

*REMEMBER that holiday visitations trump weekend visitations.  So if your designated extended summer possession overlaps with some of your weekends, then those weekends just get swallowed up by the extended summer possession.  Any of your 1st, 3rd, and 5th weekends outside of your extended summer possession remain intact.

Custodial Parent

1. No matter if the non-custodial parent gave you specific dates by April 1st of their extended summer possession, or they took the default dates of July 1 – July 31st (with no notice), you could have given notice of one weekend inside their extended summer possession that you want to have, so long as you gave that notice by April 15th.  If you missed the April 15th deadline, then you forfeit any weekend inside their extended summer possession.
2. However, you also get a weekend from the non-custodial parent outside of their 30-day extended summer possession if you would like one.  As I mentioned above, outside of the 30-day extended summer possession, the non-custodial parent still gets their normal 1st, 3rd and 5th weekend visits.  If you want one of those, you have to give notice prior to April 15th OR if you miss that date, at least 14 days notice prior to the weekend you want.  I give a specific fact scenario here.

As always, check your specific order for the terms of your visitation. This discussion simply involves a standard visitation order in Texas. If there were any modifications to the standard language, you will find it in your order. Pickup and drop off times can vary widely in different orders, while the underlying standard schedule remains in place.

Have a fun summer, and spend lots of time with your kids!