"There is a long line of jurisprudence in Texas that supports keeping siblings together in the same household absent clear and compelling reasons for separating the children." In this case, the trial court "heard evidence that all three children were harmed by their mother's paranoid delusions and by her practice of speaking ill of the father in front of the children." Only one child was ready to begin reunification with the father. The trial court did not abuse its discretion by placing that child with the father and the other two children with the mother. Stoufflet v. Stoufflet, No. 03-08-00003-CV (Tex. App. - Austin Mar. 20, 2009).

Courtesy of Verner & Brumley, P.C. Dallas, Texas

Tags: split custody, divided custody