Tex. Fam. Code § 153.004 · Subchapter A. GENERAL PROVISIONS
HISTORY OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ABUSE.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) In determining whether to appoint a party as a sole or joint managing conservator, the court shall consider evidence of the intentional use of abusive physical force, or evidence of sexual abuse, by a party directed against the party's spouse, a parent of the child, or any person younger than 18 years of age committed within a two-year period preceding the filing of the suit or during the pendency of the suit.
(b) The court may not appoint joint managing conservators if credible evidence is presented of a history or pattern of past or present child neglect, or physical or sexual abuse by one parent directed against the other parent, a spouse, or a child, including a sexual assault in violation of Section 22.011 or 22.021, Penal Code, that results in the other parent becoming pregnant with the child. A history of sexual abuse includes a sexual assault that results in the other parent becoming pregnant with the child, regardless of the prior relationship of the parents. It is a rebuttable presumption that the appointment of a parent as the sole managing conservator of a child or as the conservator who has the exclusive right to determine the primary residence of a child is not in the best interest of the child if credible evidence is presented of a history or pattern of past or present child neglect, or physical or sexual abuse by that parent directed against the other parent, a spouse, or a child.
(c) The court shall consider the commission of family violence or sexual abuse in determining whether to deny, restrict, or limit the possession of a child by a parent who is appointed as a possessory conservator.
(d) The court may not allow a parent to have access to a child for whom it is shown by a preponderance of the evidence that:
(1) there is a history or pattern of committing family violence during the two years preceding the date of the filing of the suit or during the pendency of the suit; or
(2) the parent engaged in conduct that constitutes an offense under Section 21.02, 22.011, 22.021, or 25.02, Penal Code, and that as a direct result of the conduct, the victim of the conduct became pregnant with the parent's child.
(d-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (d), the court may allow a parent to have access to a child if the court:
(1) finds that awarding the parent access to the child would not endanger the child's physical health or emotional welfare and would be in the best interest of the child; and
(2) renders a possession order that is designed to protect the safety and well-being of the child and any other person who has been a victim of family violence committed by the parent and that may include a requirement that:
(A) the periods of access be continuously supervised by an entity or person chosen by the court;
(B) the exchange of possession of the child occur in a protective setting;
(C) the parent abstain from the consumption of alcohol or a controlled substance, as defined by Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code, within 12 hours prior to or during the period of access to the child; or
(D) the parent attend and complete a battering intervention and prevention program as provided by Article 42.141, Code of Criminal Procedure, or, if such a program is not available, complete a course of treatment under Section 153.010.
(e) It is a rebuttable presumption that it is not in the best interest of a child for a parent to have unsupervised visitation with the child if credible evidence is presented of a history or pattern of past or present child neglect or abuse or family violence by:
(1) that parent; or
(2) any person who resides in that parent's household or who is permitted by that parent to have unsupervised access to the child during that parent's periods of possession of or access to the child.
(f) In determining under this section whether there is credible evidence of a history or pattern of past or present child neglect or abuse or family violence by a parent or other person, as applicable, the court shall consider whether a protective order was rendered under Chapter 85, Title 4, against the parent or other person during the two-year period preceding the filing of the suit or during the pendency of the suit.
(g) In this section:
(1) "Abuse" and "neglect" have the meanings assigned by Section 261.001.
(2) "Family violence" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.004.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 774, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 787, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 586, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 642, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 907 (H.B. 1228), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 907 (H.B. 1228), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 99 (S.B. 495), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/FA/htm/FA.153.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 5db14c5cd71999540a8f6a5db20b9cb2e8a6eb123e10452dddd3dbd039c6ed55
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Code of Criminal Procedure
Family Code
- Tex. Fam. Code tit. 4PROTECTIVE ORDERS AND FAMILY VIOLENCEPrinted as Title 4
- Tex. Fam. Code § 71.004FAMILY VIOLENCE.Printed as Section 71.004
- Tex. Fam. Code ch. 85ISSUANCE OF PROTECTIVE ORDERPrinted as Chapter 85
- Tex. Fam. Code § 153.010ORDER FOR FAMILY COUNSELING.Printed as Section 153.010
- Tex. Fam. Code § 261.001DEFINITIONS.Printed as Section 261.001
Health and Safety Code
Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 21.02CONTINUOUS SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG CHILD OR DISABLED INDIVIDUAL.Printed as Section 21.02, 22.011, 22.021, or 25.02, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 22.011SEXUAL ASSAULT.Printed as Section 21.02, 22.011, 22.021, or 25.02, Penal Code | Section 22.011 or 22.021, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 22.021AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT.Printed as Section 21.02, 22.011, 22.021, or 25.02, Penal Code | Section 22.011 or 22.021, Penal Code
- Tex. Penal Code § 25.02PROHIBITED SEXUAL CONDUCT.Printed as Section 21.02, 22.011, 22.021, or 25.02, Penal Code
Cited by 6 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Fam. Code § 153.004. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Family Code
- Tex. Fam. Code § 153.005APPOINTMENT OF SOLE OR JOINT MANAGING CONSERVATOR.Printed as Section 153.004
- Tex. Fam. Code § 153.010ORDER FOR FAMILY COUNSELING.Printed as Section 153.004
- Tex. Fam. Code § 153.131PRESUMPTION THAT PARENT TO BE APPOINTED MANAGING CONSERVATOR.Printed as Section 153.004
- Tex. Fam. Code § 153.3171BEGINNING AND ENDING POSSESSION TIMES FOR PARENTS WHO RESIDE 50 MILES OR LESS APART.Printed as Section 153.004
- Tex. Fam. Code § 153.502ABDUCTION RISK FACTORS.Printed as Section 153.004
- Tex. Fam. Code § 156.1045MODIFICATION OF ORDER ON CONVICTION FOR FAMILY VIOLENCE.Printed as Section 153.004(d)
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.