H.B. No. 2524 amends various sections of the Texas Family Code to improve the recovery of attorney's fees, court costs, and expenses in family law proceedings. The bill introduces the phrase "reasonable and necessary" before these costs, allowing courts to award them more explicitly in cases such as marriage dissolution and child custody. It also permits fees to be paid directly to attorneys, who can enforce payment orders in their own name, thereby streamlining the recovery process. Additionally, the bill modifies section headings to reflect the inclusion of court costs and expenses alongside attorney's fees, and it mandates that in cases of overpaid maintenance, the court must order the obligee to pay the obligor's reasonable and necessary legal costs.

Furthermore, the bill establishes provisions for assessing fees against parties who file frivolous suits or fail to comply with child support orders, with the court having the discretion to waive fees only under specific circumstances, such as financial hardship. The amendments clarify that attorney's fees may be taxed as costs and emphasize that support payments take precedence over these fees. The changes will take effect on September 1, 2025, and will apply to suits filed on or after that date, while those filed before will be governed by the previous law.

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 231, Family Code 107, Family Code 42, Family Code 81, Family Code 6, Family Code 156, Family Code 154, Family Code 152, Family Code 9, Family Code 105, Family Code 159, Family Code 261, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 106, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 109, Family Code 160, Family Code 264)
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 231, Family Code 107, Family Code 42, Family Code 81, Family Code 6, Family Code 156, Family Code 154, Family Code 152, Family Code 9, Family Code 105, Family Code 159, Family Code 261, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 106, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 109, Family Code 160, Family Code 264)
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 231, Family Code 107, Family Code 42, Family Code 81, Family Code 6, Family Code 156, Family Code 154, Family Code 152, Family Code 9, Family Code 105, Family Code 159, Family Code 261, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 106, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 109, Family Code 160, Family Code 264)
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 231, Family Code 107, Family Code 42, Family Code 81, Family Code 6, Family Code 156, Family Code 154, Family Code 152, Family Code 9, Family Code 105, Family Code 159, Family Code 261, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 106, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 109, Family Code 160, Family Code 264)
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 231, Family Code 107, Family Code 42, Family Code 81, Family Code 6, Family Code 156, Family Code 154, Family Code 152, Family Code 9, Family Code 105, Family Code 159, Family Code 261, Family Code 8, Family Code 158, Family Code 106, Family Code 41, Family Code 157, Family Code 109, Family Code 160, Family Code 264)