Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and ex-fiancée Sarah Jane Ramos reached an informal temporary custody settlement on April 15, 2026, in Collin County, Texas, one day before a scheduled hearing on Prescott's Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR) filed March 17, 2026. The agreement resolves short-term conservatorship of daughters MJ (2) and Aurora (11 months) without court-imposed orders, following the March 7, 2026 cancellation of the couple's Lake Como wedding (TMZ).
Key Facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| What happened | Informal temporary custody settlement reached |
| When | April 15, 2026 (one day before scheduled hearing) |
| Where | Collin County District Court, Texas |
| Who is affected | Dak Prescott, Sarah Jane Ramos, daughters MJ (2) and Aurora (11 months) |
| Legal action | Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship (SAPCR), filed March 17, 2026 |
| Relief sought | Joint managing conservatorship of both daughters |
| Impact | Avoided contested hearing; interim parenting terms now in effect |
Why This Matters Legally
Pre-hearing settlements in Texas SAPCR cases give parents control over parenting terms that a judge would otherwise impose. When unmarried parents like Prescott and Ramos separate, Texas law does not automatically assign conservatorship — either parent must file a SAPCR under Tex. Fam. Code § 102.003 to establish legal rights. Prescott's March 17, 2026 filing started that 30-day clock, and the parties used the pre-hearing window to negotiate rather than litigate.
This matters because temporary orders in Texas often become the blueprint for final orders. Judges frequently adopt interim arrangements when they have worked well for the child. By agreeing to terms before the judge ruled, Prescott and Ramos preserved flexibility that a contested Collin County hearing would have stripped away. Ramos's attorney framed the agreement around cooperation, telling outlets she "firmly believes that working together as parents is very important" (Sports Illustrated coverage).
How Texas Law Handles Custody Between Unmarried Parents
Texas does not use the word "custody." The Texas Family Code uses "conservatorship" (decision-making rights) and "possession and access" (physical time). Under Tex. Fam. Code § 153.131, there is a rebuttable presumption that appointing both parents as joint managing conservators is in the child's best interest. This is the exact relief Prescott requested in his March 17 petition.
Joint managing conservatorship does not mean 50/50 time. It means shared decision-making on education, non-emergency medical care, and religious upbringing. Physical possession is governed separately by the Standard Possession Order under Tex. Fam. Code § 153.252, which becomes the default when parents live within 100 miles of each other. For children under three — both MJ and Aurora qualify — Texas courts apply Tex. Fam. Code § 153.254, which lets judges deviate from the standard schedule based on the child's developmental needs, feeding schedule, and caregiving history.
Paternity must be legally established before a Texas court can issue conservatorship orders for children born outside marriage. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 160.204, a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity or a court adjudication creates that legal relationship. Without it, the biological father has no standing to seek conservatorship — a threshold issue Prescott's SAPCR filing necessarily resolved.
Child support in Texas follows statutory guidelines under Tex. Fam. Code § 154.125. For two children, the obligor pays 25% of net monthly resources, capped at the first $9,200 of net resources per month as of the 2025 adjustment. Courts can order above-guideline support when the child's proven needs exceed the presumptive amount — a common outcome in high-income cases where the obligor's resources far exceed the cap.
Practical Takeaways for Texas Parents
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File the SAPCR early. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 102.003, any parent may petition without waiting for the other side to act. Filing first sets venue and often shapes the scheduling order.
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Use the pre-hearing window. Texas courts reward parents who negotiate in good faith before temporary orders hearings. A signed Rule 11 agreement under Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 11 becomes enforceable by the court without further litigation.
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Document the caregiving history. For children under three, Tex. Fam. Code § 153.254 directs courts to weigh "caregiving provided to the child before and during the current suit." Contemporaneous records — calendars, feeding logs, pediatrician visits — carry significant weight.
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Establish paternity formally. Even if both parents agree on parentage, a signed Acknowledgment of Paternity filed with the Texas Vital Statistics Unit is required under Tex. Fam. Code § 160.305 before conservatorship orders can issue.
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Address child support alongside conservatorship. Texas courts will not issue a final order that resolves possession without also addressing support under Tex. Fam. Code § 154.001. Packaging both issues into one settlement saves time and cost.
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Understand that temporary orders often become permanent. Interim terms that function well for 6-12 months typically survive into the final order. Treat the temporary phase as a trial run, not a placeholder.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Texas recognize joint custody for unmarried parents?
Yes. Under Tex. Fam. Code § 153.131, Texas applies a rebuttable presumption that joint managing conservatorship serves the child's best interest, whether parents were married or not. Unmarried fathers must first establish paternity under Tex. Fam. Code § 160.204 before seeking conservatorship rights through a SAPCR filing.
What is a SAPCR in Texas?
A Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship is the Texas legal vehicle for establishing or modifying conservatorship, possession, and support. Authorized by Tex. Fam. Code § 102.003, a SAPCR can be filed by a parent, grandparent with standing, or other qualified person. It is the required mechanism for unmarried parents to obtain enforceable custody orders.
How is Texas child support calculated for high-income parents?
Texas applies guideline percentages under Tex. Fam. Code § 154.125: 20% of net resources for one child, 25% for two, up to the 2025 cap of $9,200 in monthly net resources. For parents earning above the cap, courts may order additional support based on the child's proven needs under Tex. Fam. Code § 154.126.
Can Texas custody be decided without going to court?
Yes. Parents can sign a Rule 11 agreement or mediated settlement agreement that becomes binding when approved by the court. Tex. Fam. Code § 153.0071 makes mediated settlement agreements "binding" and non-revocable once signed, meaning judges must enter orders consistent with the agreement unless it endangers the child.
How does Texas handle custody for children under three?
Tex. Fam. Code § 153.254 directs Texas courts to consider factors specific to young children: caregiving history, availability of each parent, the child's feeding and sleeping schedule, and developmental needs. For children under three, judges routinely deviate from the Standard Possession Order in favor of shorter, more frequent visits that match the child's attachment stage.
What This Means for Texas Families
Prescott and Ramos did what Texas courts consistently encourage: resolve parenting terms before a judge has to. For the thousands of Texas parents filing SAPCRs each year, the lesson is not about celebrity — it is about timing. The 30-day window between filing and the first temporary orders hearing is the most valuable negotiation period in a Texas family case. Parents who use it well often avoid years of post-decree conflict.
If you are navigating an unmarried custody dispute in Texas, a board-certified family law attorney in your county can walk you through the SAPCR process and the Standard Possession Order options that apply to your children's ages. You can find vetted Texas family law attorneys by county in our Texas directory.
This article discusses recent news and provides general legal commentary. It does not constitute legal advice. Every case is unique. Consult a qualified family law attorney for advice specific to your situation.