Domestic Relations
The Domestic Relations Office (DRO) in Lubbock County was established in early 2006. As a statutorily-created DRO, we provide the following services:
Family/Divorce Mediation
Conservatorship, rights and duties during possession, visitation, child support, spousal maintenance, property/asset division, and debt/liability distribution are issues that can be mediated by a neutral third party. Mediators are trained in the areas of family dynamics, child development, and family law.
Parent Coordinator or Facilitator
A parent coordinator or parent facilitator is an impartial person appointed by the Domestic Relations Office who works in accordance with the Texas Family Code Section 153. They help parents implement a workable co-parenting plan and assure that the child will have a safe, stable, and nonviolent environment. The neutral coordinator/facilitator assists the parents with issues such as conservatorship, rights and duties during possession, visitation and child support.
Community Supervision
Under a contract with the Office of the Attorney General for Texas (OAG), our office supervised non-custodial parents who have been found in contempt of a child support order. Staff verifies employment and place of residence and makes periodic reports to the Court and OAG. This service is designed to identify and reconcile the issues that prevent parents from making timely payments for the support of their children. This service is also available outside the OAG contract.
Supervised Visitation / Neutral Exchange
Monitors and law enforcement will supervise the visit and/or exchange of the children in a safe, neutral environment.
Adoption Evaluations
In 2015, the Texas Legislature eliminated social studies and substituted it with contested custody, adoption, and contested adoption evaluations. Adoption evaluations are conducted by DRO evaluators whom have agreed to complete the evaluations in accordance with the Texas Administrative Code.
