Our professional staff are trained in dealing with high-conflict cases and focus on the safety and well-being of children. In addition, our visitation monitors are background checked and trained to help facilitate meaningful and safe visits. We are a member of the Supervised Visitation Network and adhere to their standards of excellence.
The Harris County Domestic Relations Office is a domestic violence-informed agency. If you are a victim or survivor of domestic violence, we have information to help you. Please click on our links page or contact us for assistance. In addition, the staff can assist victims with completing the Crime Victims Compensation Application, which can be found here.
For custodial parents participating in this program, if you have been a victim of assault, domestic violence, kidnapping, etc., you may qualify for crime victims compensation. You can apply for such compensation by accessing: https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/crime-victims/crime-victims-compensation-program.
For the safety of all parties, contact between the custodial parent and the visiting party during arrivals and departures is prohibited. The visiting party must arrive at the assigned visitation site by 8:30 a.m. and remain until 1:30 p.m. The custodial parent will drop off the child at 9:00 a.m. and pickup the child by 1:00 p.m., without entering the facility. Visitation services are only provided for the visiting parent and child(ren) of the suit.
The Domestic Relations Office and all locations are service-free zones. No process service will be admitted to any facilities or allowed to effectuate service at any location.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Assignment. Cases are assigned to available locations closest to the child's residential zip code.
Recordings Prohibited. Neither the parties nor DRO staff may record any conversation as a result of services.
Staff Testimony. When requested by subpoena, DRO staff will provide testimony on cases. A subpoena must be received by the evaluator in person, by email or through the mail. The subpoena is not required to be served through a process server or law enforcement.
Report Records. Records relating to The Visitation Center are available to parties only. The request must be by subpoena duces tucum and the party must prepay fees of $.40 per page and $25 administrative fee. As all records are retained on a case management system, in-camera inspection is not possible.
Due to privacy laws, third party records, including but not limited to medical, psychiatric or psychological will not be released without a court order. Under no circumstances may FCS provide Texas Department of Family & Protective Services or Texas Department of Public Safety records, even by court order. A party seeking third party records should request those records from the third-party provider. Any subpoena for third party records will result in a Motion to Quash and notice to the third-party provider.