When children are caught in the middle of a separation or divorce, the decisions made in court will shape their lives for years to come. Lynda Landers works with Collin County parents to build parenting arrangements that put their children's stability first — and that are realistic enough to hold.
Texas family law uses specific language. Understanding it helps you have better conversations with your attorney and more realistic expectations about the process.
In Texas, what most people call "custody" is legally called conservatorship. When both parents share conservatorship — which is the presumptive starting point in Texas — it is called Joint Managing Conservatorship (JMC). Under JMC, both parents share the rights and duties of raising the child. This does not automatically mean equal time. Typically under JMC, one parent is designated the primary conservator — the child lives with that parent most of the time — while the other parent has scheduled possession under a court order. Both parents retain the right to be informed about the child's health, education, and welfare, and many decisions require agreement between them.
In some circumstances — where a parent has a documented history of family violence, substance abuse, or neglect — a court may appoint one parent as Sole Managing Conservator (SMC). The sole managing conservator holds exclusive authority over the most important decisions in the child's life: medical care, schooling, and primary residence. The other parent typically retains rights to possession and visitation, but decision-making authority is concentrated with one parent. In every conservatorship case, the guiding principle is the same: the best interest of the child (Texas Family Code § 153.002). That standard is intentionally broad. Courts consider the child's emotional and physical needs, each parent's ability to provide a stable and nurturing environment, the quality of the co-parenting relationship, any history of conflict or abuse, and — if the child is old enough — the child's own preferences.
Conservatorship cases rarely fit a template. These are the specific situations Lynda's clients most often bring to her practice.
Texas law provides a Standard Possession Order (SPO) and an Expanded Standard Possession Order as default frameworks. The standard schedule gives the non-primary parent the first, third, and fifth weekends of the month, Thursday evenings during the school year, summer extensions, and alternating holidays. Lynda helps families understand these baselines and negotiate schedules that actually work for their circumstances — because the one the court imposes may not be the one that fits your family.
After a final order is in place, a parent can request a modification by showing a material and substantial change in circumstances since the order was signed. What qualifies is a fact-intensive question: a parent's job change, a new partner moving in, significant changes in the child's needs, or evidence of neglect may each support a modification. Lynda can help you assess whether your situation clears the legal threshold.
If you want to move a significant distance with your child — or if the other parent wants to — Texas law requires either a written agreement between parents or a court order. Relocation disputes involve competing interests that courts weigh carefully: the moving parent's legitimate reasons, the impact on the child's relationship with the other parent, and above all, what serves the child's best interest. These cases require a clear strategy built well in advance.
When the court needs an independent assessment of parenting fitness, it may appoint a custody evaluator — often a licensed mental health professional. Evaluators observe each parent with the child, review records, interview collateral sources, and produce a written report for the court. Lynda helps her clients understand what evaluators look for and how to present their parenting clearly and credibly — without coaching that undermines authenticity.
A contested custody case is never purely a legal problem. Children caught between two disputing parents are going through something genuinely difficult, and the litigation process can deepen that difficulty when handled poorly. Lynda Landers approaches custody cases with an awareness of what is happening inside the family — not just what is happening in the courtroom.
Lynda works alongside therapists, child psychologists, and custody evaluators — not as a replacement for legal strategy, but as part of it. A child who is seeing a counselor has documented support. A parent who is engaging with professional resources demonstrates stability and commitment. That evidence is meaningful to courts and to custody evaluators alike.
This integrated approach serves clients in two concrete ways: it produces evidence that courts and evaluators find credible, and it positions parents to actually function as co-parents once the case is resolved. A parenting plan informed by therapeutic insight is more likely to hold over time than one drafted in purely adversarial terms.
Lynda's practice at Landers Family Law has been built around this philosophy for 29 years. Whether your case is a divorce involving children or a standalone custody dispute, the approach is the same: honest counsel, realistic strategy, and attention to the whole picture.
Plain-English answers to what Collin County parents ask most often. These are general explanations — your situation may be different.
The Texas Standard Possession Order (SPO) generally gives the non-primary parent the first, third, and fifth weekends of each month (Friday evening through Sunday evening), Thursday evenings during the school year, extended time in the summer (typically 30 days), and alternating holidays including spring break. The Expanded Standard Possession Order extends each possession period — for example, from school dismissal on Friday rather than 6 p.m., and until school resumes Monday rather than 6 p.m. on Sunday. Courts start with the SPO as a presumptive baseline, but parents can agree to any schedule that serves the child's best interest, and judges will generally approve a well-considered agreement between parents.
Yes — but you must show a material and substantial change in circumstances that has occurred since the final order was signed. The change has to be significant, not just inconvenient. Common examples include a meaningful change in a parent's work schedule, a parent relocating, evidence of abuse or neglect, or a child's needs changing substantially as they grow older and develop. Texas also imposes a one-year waiting period before most modification requests can be filed — with exceptions where a child is in immediate danger. If you believe a modification is warranted, speaking with an attorney about whether your circumstances meet the legal threshold is a good first step.
Texas courts use a multi-factor analysis rather than a single definition. Among the factors courts consider: the child's physical and emotional developmental needs; each parent's ability to meet those needs; the stability of each parent's home; the quality of the relationship each parent has built with the child; the co-parenting relationship and each parent's willingness to support the other's relationship with the child; any history of family violence, abuse, or neglect; and — if the child is 12 or older — the child's stated preferences (which the judge takes seriously, though they are not automatically decisive). No single factor controls the outcome. Courts look at the whole picture of the child's life and each parent's circumstances.
Custody cases for Collin County families are handled in the district courts in McKinney. Lynda Landers represents parents from McKinney, Frisco, Plano, Allen, Prosper, and throughout Collin County — and handles cases that also involve divorce or child support questions alongside conservatorship.
For community-specific resources, visit the pages for Frisco families and Plano families, or go directly to Landers Family Law to schedule your consultation.
A conversation with Lynda Landers costs nothing but time, and it can bring real clarity to a situation that may feel overwhelming. Call or schedule online — she is ready to listen.
Schedule a Consultation or call (972) 529-5707