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 156. MODIFICATION
Texas Codes

Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101 (2026)

Grounds For Modification Of Order Establishing Conservatorship Or Possession And Access

✓ current as of May 2026
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Sec. 156.101. GROUNDS FOR MODIFICATION OF ORDER ESTABLISHING CONSERVATORSHIP OR POSSESSION AND ACCESS. (a) The court may modify an order that provides for the appointment of a conservator of a child, that provides the terms and conditions of conservatorship, or that provides for the possession of or access to a child if modification would be in the best interest of the child and:

(1) the circumstances of the child, a conservator, or other party affected by the order have materially and substantially changed since the earlier of:

(A) the date of the rendition of the order; or

(B) the date of the signing of a mediated or collaborative law settlement agreement on which the order is based;

(2) the child is at least 12 years of age and has expressed to the court in chambers as provided by Section 153.009 the name of the person who is the child's preference to have the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of the child; or

(3) the conservator who has the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of the child has voluntarily relinquished the primary care and possession of the child to another person for at least six months.

(b) Subsection (a)(3) does not apply to a conservator who has the exclusive right to designate the primary residence of the child and who has temporarily relinquished the primary care and possession of the child to another person during the conservator's military deployment, military mobilization, or temporary military duty, as those terms are defined by Section 153.701.

Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 751, Sec. 47, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1390, Sec. 16, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1289, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1036, Sec. 19, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 727 (S.B. 279), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1113 (H.B. 1012), Sec. 28, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1118 (H.B. 1151), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2009.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 453 cases (104 in the last 5 years), 1996–2026 · leading case: Zeifman v. Michels, 212 S.W.3d 582 (Tex. App.—Austin 2006).
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Zeifman v. Michels, 212 S.W.3d 582 (Tex. App.—Austin 2006). · cites it 6× “See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 156.101. To accept Michels's interpretation of the requirement of a "material and substantial" change would render its language meaningless if age alone were sufficient in light of the parties' prior agreement.”
Blackwell v. Humble, 241 S.W.3d 707 (Tex. App.—Austin 2007). · cites it 8× “See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 156.101 (West Supp. 2007).”
Keith v. Keith, 221 S.W.3d 156 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006). · cites it 4× “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 156.101 (1) (Vernon Supp.”
In re Lee, 411 S.W.3d 445 (Tex. 2013). · cites it 3× “See Tex. Fam.Code § 156.101. Benjamin sought the exclusive right to determine the child’s primary residence and requested modification of the terms and conditions of Stephanie’s access to and possession of the child, alleging that Stephanie’s “poor parenting decisions” had…”
In the Interest of A.L.H., 515 S.W.3d 60 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2017). · cites it 2× “Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 156.101 (a)(1)(A) (West 2014).”
In re M.G.N., 491 S.W.3d 386 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2016). · cites it 3× “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 156.101 (a) (West 2014).”
Blair v. Badenhope, 77 S.W.3d 137 (Tenn. 2002). · cites it 2× “If a nonparent rebuts the presumption in the original custody determination, the parents in a subsequent modification proceeding must meet the requirements for a change of custody set out in Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 156.101 [requiring that the modification would operate to improve…”
George v. Jeppeson, 238 S.W.3d 463 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2007). · cites it 4× “” See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 156.101 (1) (Vernon Supp.”
Patterson v. Brist, 236 S.W.3d 238 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006). · cites it 4× “TEX. FAM.CODE ANN. § 156.101 (Vernon 2005) (emphasis added).”
in the Interest of A.E.A., a Child, 406 S.W.3d 404 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2013). · cites it 3× “101 of the Texas Family Code, a trial court may modify conservatorship of a child if (1) the modification is in the child’s best interest and (2) the circumstances of the child, a conservator, or other party affected by the existing conservatorship order have materially and…”
Bates v. Tesar, 81 S.W.3d 411 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2002). · cites it 2× “134 with TEX.FAM. CODE § 156.101. A natural parent has the benefit of the parental presumption in an original proceeding, and the non-parent seeking conservatorship has a higher burden.”
Child v. Leverton, 210 S.W.3d 694 (Tex. App.—Eastland 2006). · cites it 4× “TEX. FAM.CODE ANN. § 156.101 (Vernon Supp.”
Show all 453 citing cases →
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(1): 24 cases
Keith v. Keith, 221 S.W.3d 156 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2006). “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 156.101 (1) (Vernon Supp.”
Zeifman v. Michels, 212 S.W.3d 582 (Tex. App.—Austin 2006). “See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 156.101. To accept Michels's interpretation of the requirement of a "material and substantial" change would render its language meaningless if age alone were sufficient in light of the parties' prior agreement.”
George v. Jeppeson, 238 S.W.3d 463 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2007). “” See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 156.101 (1) (Vernon Supp.”
Niskar v. Niskar, 136 S.W.3d 749 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2004).
Child v. Leverton, 210 S.W.3d 694 (Tex. App.—Eastland 2006). “TEX. FAM.CODE ANN. § 156.101 (Vernon Supp.”
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(1)(A): 9 cases
in the Interest of L.C.L, a Minor Child, 396 S.W.3d 712 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2013).
In the Interest of A.B.P., 291 S.W.3d 91 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2009).
in the Interest of Z.N.H., a Child, 280 S.W.3d 481 (Tex. App.—Eastland 2009).
In the Interest of C.C.J., 244 S.W.3d 911 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2008).
In the Interest of T.W.E., 217 S.W.3d 557 (Tex. App.—San Antonio 2006).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(2): 1 case
Baltzer v. Medina, 240 S.W.3d 469 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2007).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(3): 2 cases
in the Interest of M.N.G., 113 S.W.3d 27 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2003).
In Re Mng, 113 S.W.3d 27 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2003).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(a): 72 cases
In the Interest of J.R.P., 526 S.W.3d 770 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2017).
In the Interest of T.D.C., 91 S.W.3d 865 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2002).
Sotelo v. Gonzales, 170 S.W.3d 783 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2005).
in the Interest of S.A.H, a Minor Child, 420 S.W.3d 911 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014).
Marca E. Mauldin v. Jerry Clements & Janet Clements, 428 S.W.3d 247 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2014).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(a)(1): 70 cases
William Adam Flowers v. Lacey Flowers, 407 S.W.3d 452 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2013).
In re Harrison, 557 S.W.3d 99 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2018).
Smith v. Karanja, 546 S.W.3d 734 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2018).
in the Interest of E.R.C., a Minor Child, 496 S.W.3d 270 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2016).
Marca E. Mauldin v. Jerry Clements & Janet Clements, 428 S.W.3d 247 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2014).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(a)(1)(A): 60 cases
in the Interest of P.M.G., a Child, 405 S.W.3d 406 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2013).
in the Interest of A.E.A., a Child, 406 S.W.3d 404 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth 2013). “101 of the Texas Family Code, a trial court may modify conservatorship of a child if (1) the modification is in the child’s best interest and (2) the circumstances of the child, a conservator, or other party affected by the existing conservatorship order have materially and…”
Sylvia Yolanda Arredondo v. Antonio A. Betancourt, Jr., 383 S.W.3d 730 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2012).
In the Interest of S.N.Z., 421 S.W.3d 899 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2014).
Townsend v. Vasquez, 569 S.W.3d 796 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2018).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(a)(1)(B): 1 case
in the Interest of S.C.S., a Child, No. 13-21-00386-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi–Edinburg Aug. 30, 2022).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(a)(1)(a): 1 case
in the Interest of P.H.R., a Minor Child, No. 01-14-00101-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Dec. 30, 2014).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(a)(3): 4 cases
in the Interest of S.A.H, a Minor Child, 420 S.W.3d 911 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014).
in the Interest of B.J.Y., a Child, No. 06-19-00085-CV (Tex. App.—Texarkana May 6, 2020).
In the Interest of K.D.C., a Child v. the State of Texas, No. 06-25-00073-CV (Mar. 5, 2026).
in the Interest of S.L.T. & S.J.T., Child., No. 11-08-00254-CV (Tex. App.—Eastland June 10, 2010).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(a)(l): 1 case
Elizabeth M. Trammell v. Fletcher v. Trammell, Sr., No. 01-14-00629-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Jan. 12, 2015).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(b)(2): 2 cases
In the Interest of C.Q.T.M., 25 S.W.3d 730 (Tex. App.—Waco 2000).
In Re Cqtm, 25 S.W.3d 730 (Tex. App.—Waco 2000).
Tex. Fam. Code § 156.101(l): 2 cases
Bates v. Tesar, 81 S.W.3d 411 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2002). “134 with TEX.FAM. CODE § 156.101. A natural parent has the benefit of the parental presumption in an original proceeding, and the non-parent seeking conservatorship has a higher burden.”
Sotelo v. Gonzales, 170 S.W.3d 783 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2005).
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