Texas Conservatorship, Possession & Support
Current, source-linked Texas custody terminology and rules without imported out-of-state formulas.
Texas terminology
Conservatorship
Texas court orders allocate parental rights and duties through managing and possessory conservatorship.
Possession and access
These terms describe parenting time. The Standard Possession Order is a rebuttable-presumption minimum for age three or older—not an automatic equal-time award.
Core rules
- Best interest is the primary consideration — § 153.002
- No discrimination based on a party’s or child’s sex or a party’s marital status — § 153.003
- Joint managing conservatorship carries a rebuttable presumption, subject to family-violence and abuse rules — §§ 153.004, 153.131
- Agreed parenting plans require a best-interest finding — § 153.007
- A joint-conservatorship order allocates rights and primary-residence authority — § 153.134
Support and modification cautions
Texas support guidelines use the obligor’s net resources. Possession time is one possible deviation factor, not a standalone custody entitlement or automatic adjustment formula.
Conservatorship modification under § 156.101 and support modification under § 156.401 have separate grounds. Joint conservatorship by itself is not grounds to modify support.
Always confirm current local forms, fees, and filing procedure with the receiving clerk.