H.B. No. 2524 amends various sections of the Texas Family Code to improve the recovery process for attorney's fees, court costs, and expenses in family law cases. The bill introduces the term "reasonable and necessary" to describe these fees across multiple contexts, including marriage dissolution, temporary orders, and parent-child relationship suits. It allows courts to award these fees directly to attorneys, enabling them to enforce the orders in their own name. Key amendments include Section 6.502(a), which specifies that courts shall award reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and expenses to the prevailing party, and similar language is added throughout the Family Code, ensuring clarity and consistency in legal proceedings.

Additionally, the bill mandates that respondents in child support cases are responsible for paying reasonable attorney's fees, court costs, and expenses alongside any arrears, with provisions for waiving these fees under certain circumstances, such as involuntary unemployment or disability. The bill also establishes the priority of applying child support payments to include attorney's fees and costs. These amendments aim to enhance the enforcement of family law orders and ensure that legal costs are adequately addressed in family court proceedings, with the changes set to take effect on September 1, 2025, for suits filed on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Family Code 6.502, Family Code 6.708, Family Code 6.709, Family Code 8.0591, Family Code 8.206, Family Code 8.208, Family Code 8.357, Family Code 9.014, Family Code 9.106, Family Code 9.205, Family Code 41.002, Family Code 41.0025, Family Code 42.006, Family Code 42.009, Family Code 81.005, Family Code 105.001, Family Code 106.002, Family Code 107.023, Family Code 109.001, Family Code 152.208, Family Code 152.312, Family Code 154.012, Family Code 156.005, Family Code 157.110, Family Code 157.162, Family Code 157.167, Family Code 157.211, Family Code 157.268, Family Code 231.103, Family Code 157.322, Family Code 157.323, Family Code 157.330, Family Code 157.507, Family Code 158.0051, Family Code 158.102, Family Code 158.206, Family Code 158.209, Family Code 159.305, Family Code 159.313, Family Code 160.636, Family Code 160.762, Family Code 231.006, Family Code 231.211, Family Code 231.303, Family Code 261.107, Family Code 261.108, Family Code 261.110, Family Code 264.852 (Family Code 107, Family Code 160, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 154, Family Code 105, Family Code 109, Family Code 6, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 159, Family Code 231, Family Code 42, Family Code 264, Family Code 156, Family Code 9, Family Code 81, Family Code 261, Family Code 106, Family Code 152)
House Committee Report: Family Code 6.502, Family Code 6.708, Family Code 6.709, Family Code 8.0591, Family Code 8.206, Family Code 8.208, Family Code 8.357, Family Code 9.014, Family Code 9.106, Family Code 9.205, Family Code 41.002, Family Code 41.0025, Family Code 42.006, Family Code 42.009, Family Code 81.005, Family Code 105.001, Family Code 106.002, Family Code 107.023, Family Code 109.001, Family Code 152.208, Family Code 152.312, Family Code 154.012, Family Code 156.005, Family Code 157.110, Family Code 157.162, Family Code 157.167, Family Code 157.211, Family Code 157.268, Family Code 231.103, Family Code 157.322, Family Code 157.323, Family Code 157.330, Family Code 157.507, Family Code 158.0051, Family Code 158.102, Family Code 158.206, Family Code 158.209, Family Code 159.305, Family Code 159.313, Family Code 160.636, Family Code 160.762, Family Code 231.006, Family Code 231.211, Family Code 231.303, Family Code 261.107, Family Code 261.108, Family Code 261.110, Family Code 264.852 (Family Code 107, Family Code 160, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 154, Family Code 105, Family Code 109, Family Code 6, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 159, Family Code 231, Family Code 42, Family Code 264, Family Code 156, Family Code 9, Family Code 81, Family Code 261, Family Code 106, Family Code 152)
Engrossed: Family Code 6.502, Family Code 6.708, Family Code 6.709, Family Code 8.0591, Family Code 8.206, Family Code 8.208, Family Code 8.357, Family Code 9.014, Family Code 9.106, Family Code 9.205, Family Code 41.002, Family Code 41.0025, Family Code 42.006, Family Code 42.009, Family Code 81.005, Family Code 105.001, Family Code 106.002, Family Code 107.023, Family Code 109.001, Family Code 152.208, Family Code 152.312, Family Code 154.012, Family Code 156.005, Family Code 157.110, Family Code 157.162, Family Code 157.167, Family Code 157.211, Family Code 157.268, Family Code 231.103, Family Code 157.322, Family Code 157.323, Family Code 157.330, Family Code 157.507, Family Code 158.0051, Family Code 158.102, Family Code 158.206, Family Code 158.209, Family Code 159.305, Family Code 159.313, Family Code 160.636, Family Code 160.762, Family Code 231.006, Family Code 231.211, Family Code 231.303, Family Code 261.107, Family Code 261.108, Family Code 261.110, Family Code 264.852 (Family Code 107, Family Code 160, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 154, Family Code 105, Family Code 109, Family Code 6, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 159, Family Code 231, Family Code 42, Family Code 264, Family Code 156, Family Code 9, Family Code 81, Family Code 261, Family Code 106, Family Code 152)
Senate Committee Report: Family Code 6.502, Family Code 6.708, Family Code 6.709, Family Code 8.0591, Family Code 8.206, Family Code 8.208, Family Code 8.357, Family Code 9.014, Family Code 9.106, Family Code 9.205, Family Code 41.002, Family Code 41.0025, Family Code 42.006, Family Code 42.009, Family Code 81.005, Family Code 105.001, Family Code 106.002, Family Code 107.023, Family Code 109.001, Family Code 152.208, Family Code 152.312, Family Code 154.012, Family Code 156.005, Family Code 157.110, Family Code 157.162, Family Code 157.167, Family Code 157.211, Family Code 157.268, Family Code 231.103, Family Code 157.322, Family Code 157.323, Family Code 157.330, Family Code 157.507, Family Code 158.0051, Family Code 158.102, Family Code 158.206, Family Code 158.209, Family Code 159.305, Family Code 159.313, Family Code 160.636, Family Code 160.762, Family Code 231.006, Family Code 231.211, Family Code 231.303, Family Code 261.107, Family Code 261.108, Family Code 261.110, Family Code 264.852 (Family Code 107, Family Code 160, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 154, Family Code 105, Family Code 109, Family Code 6, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 159, Family Code 231, Family Code 42, Family Code 264, Family Code 156, Family Code 9, Family Code 81, Family Code 261, Family Code 106, Family Code 152)
Enrolled: Family Code 6.502, Family Code 6.708, Family Code 6.709, Family Code 8.0591, Family Code 8.206, Family Code 8.208, Family Code 8.357, Family Code 9.014, Family Code 9.106, Family Code 9.205, Family Code 41.002, Family Code 41.0025, Family Code 42.006, Family Code 42.009, Family Code 81.005, Family Code 105.001, Family Code 106.002, Family Code 107.023, Family Code 109.001, Family Code 152.208, Family Code 152.312, Family Code 154.012, Family Code 156.005, Family Code 157.110, Family Code 157.162, Family Code 157.167, Family Code 157.211, Family Code 157.268, Family Code 231.103, Family Code 157.322, Family Code 157.323, Family Code 157.330, Family Code 157.507, Family Code 158.0051, Family Code 158.102, Family Code 158.206, Family Code 158.209, Family Code 159.305, Family Code 159.313, Family Code 160.636, Family Code 160.762, Family Code 231.006, Family Code 231.211, Family Code 231.303, Family Code 261.107, Family Code 261.108, Family Code 261.110, Family Code 264.852 (Family Code 107, Family Code 160, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 154, Family Code 105, Family Code 109, Family Code 6, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 159, Family Code 231, Family Code 42, Family Code 264, Family Code 156, Family Code 9, Family Code 81, Family Code 261, Family Code 106, Family Code 152)