Texas Divorce Attorney Blog

Texas House Bill Will Narrow Stepparent Access to Children

Published on: March 31, 2026 | by Kelly McClure

Texas family law has long recognized that individuals other than biological parents sometimes serve as primary caregivers for a child. In limited circumstances, those individuals could seek court intervention by filing a Suit Affecting the Parent–Child Relationship (SAPCR). However, recent statutory reforms significantly narrow that pathway, particularly for stepparents.

In 2025, the Texas Legislature enacted House Bill 2350, which amends the standing provisions of the Texas Family Code and raises the threshold for non-parent caregivers seeking access to be heard in Texas courts. The change appears technical, but it may dramatically affect stepparent custody claims in blended families.

Standing in a Suit Affecting the Parent–Child Relationship

Texas Supreme Court Weighs in on Post-Divorce Deferred Compensation

Published on: March 25, 2026 | by Francesca Blackard

Texas law presumes that property possessed during marriage is community property, but that presumption becomes more complicated when compensation is paid after the divorce is finalized. The Texas Supreme Court recently addressed this issue, assessing how courts should analyze deferred compensation and property characterization in divorce proceedings. The decision in In re J.Y.O. illustrates how Texas courts determine whether a bonus paid after a divorce belongs to one spouse individually or must be included in the marital estate.

The Facts of the Case

The dispute in the case arose during a divorce involving a significant employment bonus and a residence that had been acquired before the marriage. The husband received annual discretionary bonuses as part of his company’s compensation structure.

Texas Implements “Three Strikes Rule” for Refusal to Follow Custody Orders

Published on: March 18, 2026 | by Kelly McClure

In Texas, court-ordered possession and access provisions are not advisory. They are binding orders, and repeated violations can carry significant legal consequences. A recent legislative change strengthens those consequences. House Bill 3181 creates a statutory “three strikes” framework that directly links repeated contempt findings for denying visitation to the potential loss of primary custody.

Enforcement of Possession and Access Orders

Texas courts possess broad authority to enforce possession and access provisions contained in divorce decrees and orders affecting the parent-child relationship. When a parent refuses to comply with an existing visitation order, the other parent should file a motion for enforcement, and the trial court may impose contempt sanctions, including fines, jail time, and attorney’s fees. Tex. Fam. Code § 157.001; Tex. Fam. Code § 157.166.

Expanded Standard Possession is Now the Default in Texas Custody Orders

Published on: March 10, 2026 | by Kelly McClure

The default schedule for standard possession in Texas has changed. Texas custody law generally uses the term “possession and access” rather than visitation. The Texas Family Code establishes standard possession schedules designed to promote frequent contact between children and both parents. Recent legislative changes have altered how those Texas visitation schedules operate in many cases.

The Standard Possession Order Framework

Texas courts frequently rely on the Standard Possession Order (SPO) when determining possession schedules in divorce and custody proceedings. Historically, the traditional SPO provided that the non-custodial parent exercised possession on the first, third, and fifth weekends of each month, along with certain holiday periods. Tex. Fam. Code §153.312

Texas Legislature Increases Statutory Cap for Calculating Child Support

Published on: February 25, 2026 | by Francesca Blackard

Texas child support guidelines are based on a statutory formula tied to the obligor parent’s monthly net resources. These guidelines are designed to create consistent support awards across family courts while allowing trial courts discretion in certain cases.

Beginning September 1, 2025, the Texas Legislature increased the statutory cap used to calculate Texas child support for the first time since 2019. The adjustment to the net resources cap reflects the legislature’s periodic effort to align child support calculations with the economic realities of inflation.

The Net Resources Cap in Texas Child Support

Texas Supreme Court Reverses Parental Rights Termination Ruling

Published on: February 12, 2026 | by Kelly McClure

The Texas Supreme Court has reversed the outcome in a lawsuit filed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services seeking termination of a mother’s parental rights. The case proceeded to trial following the child’s removal from the mother’s care based on allegations involving substance abuse and domestic violence towards another child in the home. By the time the case reached trial, however, the Department’s position had changed.

During the trial, the Department’s representative testified twice that the Department was not seeking termination and instead requested conservatorship relief that would appoint the father as sole managing conservator while leaving the mother as a parent non-conservator.

Despite that testimony, the trial court entered a final order terminating the mother’s parental rights. The court of appeals affirmed the termination, concluding that the trial court was not bound by the Department’s statements at trial.

What Can You Appeal in Texas Custody Suits?

Published on: February 1, 2026 | by Francesca Blackard

In a recent Fourth Court of Appeals case, In the Interest of S.I.S.F., the court reviewed a final judgment regarding a geographic residence restriction in a conservatorship case. The trial court imposed a restriction limiting the child’s primary residence to Bexar County and contiguous counties. The mother appealed that restriction, claiming that a child’s domicile should follow that of the custodial parent. The appeals court affirmed, concluding the restriction was consistent with the Texas Family Code regarding the child’s best interests.

The case illustrates the narrow role appellate courts play in Texas family law cases. A party may appeal a final order in a Texas family law case, including conservatorship and possession orders, as in other civil cases. Tex. Fam. Code § 109.002.

Standard of Review in Texas Family Law Appeals

Gray Divorce: A Growing Trend in Texas

Published on: January 30, 2026 | by Francesca Blackard

The trend of couples over age 50 choosing to dissolve long-term marriages, commonly called “gray divorce,” has increased across the United States, and we’re now seeing it here in Texas. Recent demographic data show a growing divorce rate for older Texans, even as overall divorce rates have declined nationwide.

Dividing Property

It’s common for gray divorces to happen after decades of marriage, presenting unique considerations and challenges in the divorce process. These divorces often involve decades of accumulated assets and retirement benefits, and how Texas addresses community property in divorce has a particularly significant impact on long marriages.

Texas Supreme Court Reverses and Remands Divorce Property Division Case

Published on: January 21, 2026 | by Kelly McClure

Even after a divorce decree becomes final, disputes may arise regarding compliance with the decree’s property provisions. In a recent case, the Texas Supreme Court examined whether a trial court properly exercised its jurisdiction under Chapter 9 of the Texas Family Code when enforcing a divorce decree involving community property. Morrison v. Morrison, No. 24-0053 (Tex. Jan. 30, 2026)

The parties’ divorce decree awarded each spouse defined interests in the marital estate, including the marital residence. After the divorce, a dispute arose concerning one spouse’s alleged failure to maintain property awarded under the decree, which ultimately affected the value of the marital home. The aggrieved spouse sought relief in the trial court, alleging a violation of the decree and requesting enforcement.

Enforcement Versus Modification

Lori Loughlin, Mossimo Giannulli, and the Sale of Real Estate in Texas Divorces

Published on: January 19, 2026 | by Francesca Blackard

Public reporting indicates that actress Lori Loughlin sold a luxury Palm Desert property after announcing her intention to divorce Mossimo Giannulli in 2025. There was no public dispute between Loughlin and Giannulli over the sale of their home, which is notable because our attorneys often see disputes over high-value real estate—whether it should be sold, retained, or awarded to one spouse. These questions frequently fuel property division litigation in Texas divorces.

Texas is a community property state, and trial courts must divide community property in a manner that is “just and right.” A ‘just and right’ division requires the trial court to divide the marital estate equitably. “Just and right”, as established in a Supreme Court of Texas case, Murff v. Murff, does not always mean an equal division, particularly in high-net-worth cases involving complex assets. (Citation: Murff v. Murff, 615 S.W.2d 696, 699 (Tex. 1981).)

Our Texas family law attorneys follow a multi-step process to determine how real estate should be divided upon divorce, and to ensure the fair division of real estate (and other assets) for our clients.