§ 156.409 — CHANGE IN PHYSICAL POSSESSION.

Texas § 156.409

• Jurisdiction: Texas
• Code FA: Family Code

Text

Sec. 156.409. CHANGE IN PHYSICAL POSSESSION. (a) The court shall, on the motion of a party or a person having physical possession of the child, modify an order providing for the support of the child to provide that the person having physical possession of the child for at least six months shall have the right to receive and give receipt for payments of support for the child and to hold or disburse money for the benefit of the child if the sole managing conservator of the child or the joint managing conservator who has the exclusive right to determine the primary residence of the child has:
(1) voluntarily relinquished to the person having physical possession of the child the primary care and possession of the child for at least six months;
(2) been incarcerated or sentenced to be incarcerated for at least 90 days;
(3) relinquished the primary care and possession of the child in a proceeding under Title 3 or Chapter 262 ; or
(4) entered into an authorization agreement under Chapter 34 with the person having physical possession of the child.
(a-1) If the court modifies a support order under this section, the court shall order the obligor to pay the person or entity having physical possession of the child any unpaid child support that is not subject to offset or reimbursement under Section 157.008 and that accrues after the date the sole or joint managing conservator:
(1) relinquishes possession and control of the child, whether voluntarily or in a proceeding under Title 3 or Chapter 262 ;
(2) is incarcerated; or
(3) enters into an authorization agreement under Chapter 34 with the person having physical possession of the child.
(a-2) This section does not affect the ability of the court to render a temporary order for the payment of child support that is in the best interest of the child.
(a-3) An order under this section that modifies a support order because of the incarceration of the sole or joint managing conservator of a child must provide that on the conservator's release from incarceration the conservator may file an affidavit with the court stating that the conservator has been released from incarceration, that there has not been a modification of the conservatorship of the child during the incarceration, and that the conservator has resumed physical possession of the child. A copy of the affidavit shall be delivered to the obligor and any other party, including the Title IV-D agency if appropriate. On receipt of the affidavit, the court on its own motion shall order the obligor to make support payments to the conservator.
(b) If a respondent has been ordered under Chapter 105 to provide the court and the state case registry with the respondent's current mailing address or e-mail address, notice of a motion for modification or hearing on a motion for modification under this section may be served:
(1) in the manner for serving a notice under Section 157.065 ; or
(2) by e-mail through the electronic filing system established under Section 72.031 , Government Code.
(c) A notice or document associated with a motion for modification under this section not otherwise described by Subsection (b) may be delivered in the manner described by Subdivision (2) of that subsection.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 556, Sec. 14, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1023, Sec. 14, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1289, Sec. 10, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 261 (H.B. 2231 ), Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 2005. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 972 (S.B. 228 ), Sec. 16, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 863 (S.B. 1923 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025.