Changing or enforcing an order
A final order isn't necessarily the end of the road. Life changes — and when it does, the order may need to change with it. Or maybe the order is fine, but the other side won't follow it. Either way, there's a path forward. I've walked clients down both.
If you have a court date coming, call now — (817) 382-8333.
Most people coming to this page have one of two situations. I want to be clear about which tool fits which problem, because they're different proceedings with different legal standards.
The order exists and was followed — but circumstances have changed significantly since it was signed. You need the order itself changed. Texas requires showing a material and substantial change in circumstances since the order was entered. What qualifies depends on the type of order (custody, support, possession) and the specific facts.
The order is fine as written — but the other party isn't following it. Missed support payments. Denied possession time. Refusal to comply with property terms. You don't need to change the order; you need the court to compel compliance — and to hold the other party accountable for what they've already violated.
Sometimes people come in thinking they need one when they actually need the other — or both. That's something the Case Review sorts out. Many clients are also surprised by what their existing order actually says when I read it carefully. Before we can change or enforce anything, I need to know exactly what the order requires.
Your first step — $500 flat
Before we do anything else, I read your existing order from start to finish. That matters more than people expect — the language in a Texas family court order controls everything, and there are often details that change the picture. The Case Review gives you an honest assessment and a clear path forward.
Not a sales pitch — a strategy document. You keep it whether you hire me or not.
After the Case Review, the path depends on what you need. Here's how each side of this practice typically unfolds:
Texas courts can modify custody, possession schedules, and child support when there's been a material and substantial change in circumstances since the current order was signed. What counts as material and substantial depends on the type of order and the facts — your Plan of Action will tell you honestly whether your situation meets the standard and how strong your position is.
The typical path: petition to modify filed → temporary orders hearing (if needed while the case is pending) → mediation or negotiation → final modified order. If the modification is agreed, the process can be relatively efficient. If it's contested, plan for a longer road.
When the other party violates a Texas family court order — missed support payments, denied possession time, failure to comply with property terms — the court has tools to compel compliance. The enforcement process can include a motion to enforce, a show cause hearing, and in serious cases, contempt findings. Courts take order violations seriously.
One thing that comes up often: someone withholds possession time because support isn't being paid, or withholds support because possession is being denied. I want to be clear on this — under Texas law, possession and support are independent obligations. Withholding one because of the other doesn't fix the problem and can create serious legal exposure for the person doing it. The right path is enforcement, not self-help.
Pay-as-you-go: every next step gets a flat-fee quote in your Plan of Action. Quotes are due two weeks before services are rendered — 90 days before a final trial. No retainer to exhaust, no surprise invoices, no hourly meter.
Yes — child support can be modified when there's been a material and substantial change in circumstances since the order was entered, or in some cases when the existing order is more than three years old and the current support amount differs significantly from what the guidelines would produce today. Income changes — a big raise, a job loss, a new child — are common triggers. I'll review your order and your situation and tell you whether a modification is legally viable and what it's likely to produce.
That's the central question in every modification case, and the honest answer is: it depends. Texas courts look at the totality of the circumstances — what's changed, how much, and why. Significant changes in income, a parent relocating, a child's changing needs or preferences, a change in the child's living situation — these are among the things courts consider. What doesn't qualify is normal life drift, or a disagreement with the original outcome that hasn't been backed by new facts. The Case Review will tell you where your situation falls.
Quite a bit. For support violations, the court can order immediate income withholding, require a judgment for the arrearage, and in serious cases find the violating party in contempt — which can carry fines or even jail time. For possession violations, the court can enforce the specific terms of the order, make up missed possession time, award attorney's fees, and hold the violating party in contempt. Courts treat order violations seriously. The key is documenting the violations carefully — the Case Review will walk you through what you need to build a strong record.
No. This is one of the most important things I tell people in this situation: under Texas law, possession and support are completely independent obligations. You cannot legally deny possession because support isn't being paid. You cannot legally withhold support because possession is being denied. Taking either of those steps creates legal exposure for you — even if the other side started it. The right answer is to enforce the order through the court, not to retaliate with self-help. I know it feels unfair. The court is the tool that fixes it.
Start online any time — sign up, pay the $500, and put your strategy session on my calendar. I'll read the order, assess what's happened, and build a Plan of Action with flat-fee quotes for every next step.
If you have a court date coming, call now — (817) 382-8333.