Sec. 159.313. COSTS AND FEES. (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 filing fees, reasonable attorney's 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 costs and reasonable attorney's fees 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.
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.
Structure Texas Statutes
Title 5 - The Parent-Child Relationship and the Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship
Subtitle B - Suits Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship
Chapter 159 - Uniform Interstate Family Support Act
Subchapter D. Civil Provisions of General Application
Section 159.301. Proceedings Under Chapter
Section 159.302. Proceeding by Minor Parent
Section 159.303. Application of Law of State
Section 159.304. Duties of Initiating Tribunal
Section 159.305. Duties and Powers of Responding Tribunal
Section 159.306. Inappropriate Tribunal
Section 159.307. Duties of Support Enforcement Agency
Section 159.308. Duty of Attorney General and Governor
Section 159.309. Private Counsel
Section 159.310. Duties of State Information Agency
Section 159.311. Pleadings and Accompanying Documents
Section 159.312. Nondisclosure of Information in Exceptional Circumstances
Section 159.313. Costs and Fees
Section 159.314. Limited Immunity of Petitioner
Section 159.315. Nonparentage as Defense
Section 159.316. Special Rules of Evidence and Procedure
Section 159.317. Communications Between Tribunals