78R366 KLA-F


By:  Dutton                                                       H.B. No. 887



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the award of attorney's fees and expenses in a suit 
affecting the parent-child relationship.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 106.002, Family Code, is amended to read 
as follows:     
	Sec. 106.002.  ATTORNEY'S FEES AND EXPENSES. (a)  In a suit 
under this title, the court may render judgment for [order] 
reasonable attorney's fees and expenses [as costs] and order the 
judgment and postjudgment interest [fees] to be paid directly to an 
attorney.
	(b)  A judgment for [An award of] attorney's fees and 
expenses may be enforced in the attorney's name by any means 
available for the enforcement of a judgment for debt.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies to a suit affecting the parent-child relationship pending 
in a trial court on that date or filed on or after that date.