I am in need of help regarding terminating parental rights. I have just been granted a temp protective order (texas) and have court for my final that will last two years. I have been abused for over 10 years by my husband. We have only been married 4. My daughter is 5 going on 6. She goes to counseling because she has learned his violent and bad tempers. He has always been in and out of our lives, never supporting us in any way. Every time he leaves he never sends her a dime nor really cares how she is. He is a repeat offender, theft, carry an unlic handgun, assult on me, and has a long agg. Juvenile record. I know he needs mental help. He is bi-polar, one minute he is fine... the next he is so scary I am crying just writing this. We have been through this cycle for years but I am tired of it. Just two months ago he hit me so hard he ripped open my forehead and I needed stitches. I do not want my daughter to be around him since he tends to be either drunk or violent. She ihas also been included in the protective order. Please help, I do not know if it is possible for me to accomplish this. I do not want her to turn out like him. He is irresponsible and I fear he may hurt her one day.

Check with your local family court. You might also want to enlist the aid of a local agency that specializes in support for battered spouses.

It's pretty difficult to completely terminate a parent's rights. Obviously the protective order limits his rights considerably. Keep in mind that he has the right to contest the protective order and when it comes to visitation with his daughter the judge will be inclined to rule in his favor. It is possible that supervised visitation will be ordered but your husband is not likely to be totally denied visitation. Try to document every violent incident and, where possible, back it up with medical records, etc. Get a good lawyer to represent you also.