Calari Legal
Enforcing a Texas Custody or Child Support Order
If the other parent isn't following a court order (missed support payments or denied visitation), you can ask the court to enforce it under Chapter 157 of the Texas Family Code.
What a motion for enforcement must include
A motion for enforcement must identify the exact provision of the order that was violated, and state the manner and date of each violation. For child support, it must state the amount owed and the amount paid (Tex. Fam. Code § 157.002). Vague claims are a common reason motions fail, so keep a dated log.
Things to know
- Support and visitation are separate: a parent can't withhold visitation because support is unpaid, or withhold support because visitation was denied (see Tex. Fam. Code § 154.011).
- Time limits apply to enforcement by contempt and to money judgments for unpaid support (§§ 157.004–157.005).
- The Texas Attorney General's Child Support Division also offers child support enforcement services.
- If you're asking the court to hold the other parent in contempt, they generally must be personally served with notice of the hearing (§ 157.062).
Step by step
Get a copy of your order
Use the exact wording and paragraph numbers from your most recent signed order.
Document each violation
Record dates, times, places, payment amounts, and messages. Organize screenshots and records as exhibits.
Draft the motion for enforcement
List each violation separately with the provision it violated, and state the relief you want.
File and request a hearing
File in the court that issued the order (the court of continuing jurisdiction).
Serve the other parent
Arrange personal service of the motion and notice of hearing.
Attend the hearing
Bring organized exhibits and copies for the judge and the other party.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file enforcement in a different county?
Enforcement is generally filed in the court that has continuing, exclusive jurisdiction over your case, usually the court that signed your order.
Can I stop visitation if support isn't paid?
No. Texas treats support and possession as independent obligations. Withholding visitation can put you in violation of the order.
Related guides
- Texas Child Custody Without a Lawyer: A Step-by-Step SAPCR Guide
- How to File for Divorce in Texas Without a Lawyer
- How to Waive Texas Court Filing Fees Under TRCP Rule 145
- Find your Texas county
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Last reviewed 2026-10-27. Laws change. Confirm current rules with the court clerk or an attorney.