Tex. Codes » Family Code · TITLE 1. THE MARRIAGE RELATIONSHIP · SUBTITLE B. PROPERTY RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES · CHAPTER 3. MARITAL PROPERTY RIGHTS AND LIABILITIES
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Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202 (2026)

Rules Of Marital Property Liability

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Sec. 3.202. RULES OF MARITAL PROPERTY LIABILITY. (a) A spouse's separate property is not subject to liabilities of the other spouse unless both spouses are liable by other rules of law.

(b) Unless both spouses are personally liable as provided by this subchapter, the community property subject to a spouse's sole management, control, and disposition is not subject to:

(1) any liabilities that the other spouse incurred before marriage; or

(2) any nontortious liabilities that the other spouse incurs during marriage.

(c) The community property subject to a spouse's sole or joint management, control, and disposition is subject to the liabilities incurred by the spouse before or during marriage.

(d) All community property is subject to tortious liability of either spouse incurred during marriage.

(e) For purposes of this section, all retirement allowances, annuities, accumulated contributions, optional benefits, and money in the various public retirement system accounts of this state that are community property subject to the participating spouse's sole management, control, and disposition are not subject to any claim for payment of a criminal restitution judgment entered against the nonparticipant spouse except to the extent of the nonparticipant spouse's interest as determined in a qualified domestic relations order under Chapter 804, Government Code.

Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 7, Sec. 1, eff. April 17, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1244 (S.B. 2324), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 59 cases (5 in the last 5 years), 1998–2024 · leading case: Montemayor v. Ortiz, 208 S.W.3d 627 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2006).
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Montemayor v. Ortiz, 208 S.W.3d 627 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 2006). · cites it 8× “TEX. FAM.CODE ANN. § 3.202 (Vernon 1998).”
Viera v. Viera, 331 S.W.3d 195 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2011). · cites it 3× “Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 3.202(a) (Vernon 2006).”
United States v. Loftis, 607 F.3d 173 (5th Cir. 2010). · cites it 3× “Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(b). This exemption, however, was inapplicable to the federal government because the Tax Code made such state law exemptions void as to tax liens.”
Drake Interiors, L.L.C. v. Andrea Marie Thomas & Robert Warren Thomas, 433 S.W.3d 841 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014). · cites it 3× “” See Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(c). Andrea argues next that Carlton may be distinguished because it relied on the former Section 5.”
Linda Dunn v. Idaho Tax Comm'n, 403 P.3d 309 (Idaho 2017). · cites it 8× “” Lastly, Linda argues that Texas Family Code section 3.202(b) renders her eommu-nity interest in Husband’s Texas earnings immune from Idaho income tax.”
Barrera v. State, 130 S.W.3d 253 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2004). · cites it 2× “Texas Family Code section 3.202 provides in part: (a) A spouse’s separate property is not subject to liabilities of the other spouse unless both spouses are liable by other rules of law.”
Buescher v. First United Bank & Trust (In Re Buescher), 783 F.3d 302 (5th Cir. 2015). · cites it 2× “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 3.202 (c) (providing that “[t]he community property subject to a spouse’s sole or joint management, control, and disposition is subject to the liabilities incurred by the spouse before or during marriage”); see also United States v.”
Bush v. Bush, 336 S.W.3d 722 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2010). “TEX. FAM.CODE ANN. § 3.202 (Vernon Supp.2010).”
William R. & Susan M. Knoderer v. State Farm Lloyds, Penni Perkins, & Tom Roberts, 515 S.W.3d 21 (Tex. App.—Texarkana 2017). “17 (citing Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 3.202 (d) (West Supp.”
in the Interest of J.C.K., a Minor Child, 143 S.W.3d 131 (Tex. App.—Waco 2004). · cites it 3× “See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 3.202(b)(2) (Vernon 1998).”
Providian Nat'l Bank v. Ebarb, 180 S.W.3d 898 (Tex. App.—Beaumont 2005). · cites it 2× “031, now Tex. FaM.Code Ann. § 3.201 (Vernon 1998).”
Michael Robert Tedder v. Gardner Aldrich, Llp, 421 S.W.3d 651 (Tex. 2013). “” Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(c). The effect of the provision is that Stacy’s legal fees might have been paid from community property.”
Show all 59 citing cases →
Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202(a): 5 cases
Viera v. Viera, 331 S.W.3d 195 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2011). “Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 3.202(a) (Vernon 2006).”
Barrera v. State, 130 S.W.3d 253 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2004). “Texas Family Code section 3.202 provides in part: (a) A spouse’s separate property is not subject to liabilities of the other spouse unless both spouses are liable by other rules of law.”
Beal Bank v. Gilbert, Jr. Warren A. & Pattie Pitman Gilbert, Individually, & as the Tr. of Pattie Pitman Gilbert Separate Prop. Trust, 417 S.W.3d 704 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2013).
in Re: Aja Holman, No. 12-21-00145-CV (Tex. App.—Tyler Nov. 10, 2021).
Brenda Liz Viera A/K/A Brenda Liz Sanchez v. Carmelo Manuel Viera, No. 08-08-00333-CV (Tex. App.—El Paso Jan. 12, 2011).
Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202(b): 2 cases
Linda Dunn v. Idaho Tax Comm'n, 403 P.3d 309 (Idaho 2017). “” Lastly, Linda argues that Texas Family Code section 3.202(b) renders her eommu-nity interest in Husband’s Texas earnings immune from Idaho income tax.”
United States v. Loftis, 607 F.3d 173 (5th Cir. 2010). “Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(b). This exemption, however, was inapplicable to the federal government because the Tax Code made such state law exemptions void as to tax liens.”
Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202(b)(1)(2): 1 case
Brenda Liz Viera A/K/A Brenda Liz Sanchez v. Carmelo Manuel Viera, No. 08-08-00333-CV (Tex. App.—El Paso Jan. 12, 2011).
Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202(b)(2): 6 cases
in the Interest of J.C.K., a Minor Child, 143 S.W.3d 131 (Tex. App.—Waco 2004). “See Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 3.202(b)(2) (Vernon 1998).”
United States v. Loftis, 607 F.3d 173 (5th Cir. 2010). “Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(b). This exemption, however, was inapplicable to the federal government because the Tax Code made such state law exemptions void as to tax liens.”
In Re Jck, 143 S.W.3d 131 (Tex. App.—Waco 2004).
In Re Nahat, 278 B.R. 108 (Bankr. N.D. Tex. 2002).
Beal Bank v. Gilbert, Jr. Warren A. & Pattie Pitman Gilbert, Individually, & as the Tr. of Pattie Pitman Gilbert Separate Prop. Trust, 417 S.W.3d 704 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2013).
Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202(b)(l)(2): 1 case
Viera v. Viera, 331 S.W.3d 195 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2011). “Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 3.202(a) (Vernon 2006).”
Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202(c): 17 cases
Drake Interiors, L.L.C. v. Andrea Marie Thomas & Robert Warren Thomas, 433 S.W.3d 841 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2014). “” See Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(c). Andrea argues next that Carlton may be distinguished because it relied on the former Section 5.”
Viera v. Viera, 331 S.W.3d 195 (Tex. App.—El Paso 2011). “Tex. Fam.Code Ann. § 3.202(a) (Vernon 2006).”
Michael Robert Tedder v. Gardner Aldrich, Llp, 421 S.W.3d 651 (Tex. 2013). “” Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(c). The effect of the provision is that Stacy’s legal fees might have been paid from community property.”
United States v. Loftis, 607 F.3d 173 (5th Cir. 2010). “Tex. Fam.Code § 3.202(b). This exemption, however, was inapplicable to the federal government because the Tax Code made such state law exemptions void as to tax liens.”
Buescher v. First United Bank & Trust (In Re Buescher), 783 F.3d 302 (5th Cir. 2015). “See Tex. Fam. Code Ann. § 3.202 (c) (providing that “[t]he community property subject to a spouse’s sole or joint management, control, and disposition is subject to the liabilities incurred by the spouse before or during marriage”); see also United States v.”
Tex. Fam. Code § 3.202(d): 5 cases
Envision Realty Grp., LLC & Jackson Potter, & Their Attorney David J. Potter v. Chuan C. Chen, No. 05-18-00613-CV, 2020 WL 1060698 (Tex. App.—Dallas Mar. 5, 2020).
in the Est. of Soledad Banegas Shultz, No. 11-21-00177-CV, 2022 WL 4099404 (Tex. App.—Eastland Sept. 8, 2022).
William R. & Susan M. Knoderer v. State Farm Lloyds, Penni Perkins & Tom Roberts, No. 06-13-00027-CV, 2014 WL 4699136 (Tex. App.—Texarkana Sept. 19, 2014).
Venus Minsal v. Abel H. Garcia, No. 04-13-00593-CV (Tex. App.—San Antonio Apr. 8, 2015).
Int'l Bank of Com. v. Monica M. Rios, No. 13-11-00524-CV (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi Apr. 12, 2012).
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