Tex. Codes » Family Code · TITLE 5. THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP AND THE SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP · SUBTITLE B. SUITS AFFECTING THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP · CHAPTER 153. CONSERVATORSHIP, POSSESSION, AND ACCESS
Texas Codes

Tex. Fam. Code § 153.551 (2026)

Suit For Access

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section TX-LEGstatutes.capitol.texas.gov Justiaon Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

Sec. 153.551. SUIT FOR ACCESS. (a) The sibling of a child who is separated from the child because of an action taken by the Department of Family and Protective Services may request access to the child by filing:

(1) an original suit; or

(2) a suit for modification as provided by Chapter 156.

(b) A sibling described by Subsection (a) may request access to the child in a suit filed for the sole purpose of requesting the relief, without regard to whether the appointment of a managing conservator is an issue in the suit.

(c) The court shall order reasonable access to the child by the child's sibling described by Subsection (a) if the court finds that access is in the best interest of the child.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1191 (H.B. 270), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2005.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1113 (H.B. 1012), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2009.

SUBCHAPTER K. PARENTING PLAN, PARENTING COORDINATOR, AND PARENTING FACILITATOR


Notes of Decisions
Cited in 4 cases (2 in the last 5 years), 2015–2024 · leading case: In the Interest of A.L.H., 515 S.W.3d 60 (Tex. App. 2017).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
In the Interest of A.L.H., 515 S.W.3d 60 (Tex. App. 2017). “Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 153.551 (a) (West 2014).”
in the Interest OF B.L.Z.P., J.D, Jr., & J.D., Child. (Tex. App. 2022). “The “fit parent presumption” applies to Texas Family Code section 153.551 and precludes the relief granted by the trial court.”
In the Interest of J.W., a Child v. the State of Texas (Tex. App. 2024). “Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 153.551 (providing that the sibling of a child who is separated from the child because of the Department’s action may file suit requesting access to the child).”
in Re Joseph Andre Davis (Tex. App. 2015). “(b) An order granting possession of or access to a Tex. Fam. Code § 153.551. child by a grandparent that is rendered over a SUIT FOR ACCESS.”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.