80R1895 MCK-F
 
  By: Phillips H.B. No. 444
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to attorney's fees in certain postjudgment proceedings.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  Section 9.014, Family Code, is amended to read as
follows:
       Sec. 9.014.  ATTORNEY'S FEES.   The court may award
reasonable attorney's fees [as costs] in a proceeding under this
subchapter. The court may order the attorney's fees to be paid
directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order for fees in the
attorney's own name by any means available for the enforcement of a
judgment for debt.
       SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 9, Family Code, is amended
by adding Section 9.106 to read as follows:
       Sec. 9.106.  ATTORNEY'S FEES. The court may award
reasonable attorney's fees in a proceeding under this subchapter.
The court may order the attorney's fees to be paid directly to the
attorney, who may enforce the order for fees in the attorney's own
name by any means available for the enforcement of a judgment for
debt.
       SECTION 3.  Section 9.205, Family Code, is amended to read as
follows:
       Sec. 9.205.  ATTORNEY'S FEES.  In a proceeding to divide
property previously undivided in a decree of divorce or annulment
as provided by this subchapter, the court may award reasonable
attorney's fees [as costs]. The court may order the attorney's fees
to be paid directly to the attorney, who may enforce the order in
the attorney's own name by any means available for the enforcement
of a judgment for debt.
       SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
a proceeding commenced under Chapter 9, Family Code, on or after the
effective date of this Act. A proceeding commenced under
Chapter 9,
Family Code, before the effective date of this Act is governed by
the law in effect immediately before that date, and the former law
is continued in effect for that purpose.
       SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.