Texas § 159.313 FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES.

Texas Statutes

§ 159.313 — FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES.

Texas § 159.313

Code FAFamily Code

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Bluebook

Tex. Family Code Code Ann. § 159.313 (2026).

Text

Sec. 159.313. FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES.

(a)The petitioner may not be required to pay a filing fee or other costs.

(b)If an obligee prevails, a responding tribunal of this state may assess against an obligor reasonable and necessary attorney's fees, court costs, expenses, filing fees, other costs, and necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred by the obligee and the obligee's witnesses. The tribunal may not assess fees, costs, or expenses against the obligee or the support enforcement agency of either the initiating or responding state or foreign country, except as provided by other law. Attorney's fees may be taxed as costs, and may be ordered paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order in the attorney's own name. Payment of support owed to the obligee has prio

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Sec. 159.313. FEES, COSTS, AND EXPENSES. (a) The petitioner may not be required to pay a filing fee or other costs.
(b) If an obligee prevails, a responding tribunal of this state may assess against an obligor reasonable and necessary attorney's fees, court costs, expenses, filing fees, other costs, and necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred by the obligee and the obligee's witnesses. The tribunal may not assess fees, costs, or expenses against the obligee or the support enforcement agency of either the initiating or responding state or foreign country, except as provided by other law. Attorney's fees may be taxed as costs, and may be ordered paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order in the attorney's own name. Payment of support owed to the obligee has priority over fees, costs, and expenses.
(c) The tribunal shall order the payment of reasonable and necessary attorney's fees, court costs, and expenses if it determines that a hearing was requested primarily for delay. In a proceeding under Subchapter G, a hearing is presumed to have been requested primarily for delay if a registered support order is confirmed or enforced without change.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 607, Sec. 12, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 368 (H.B. 3538 ), Sec. 25, eff. July 1, 2015. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 2524 ), Sec. 44, eff. September 1, 2025. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 2524 ), Sec. 45, eff. September 1, 2025.