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Commissioners adopt civil‑penalty resolution for interference with custody orders under state law
Summary
The court adopted a resolution authorizing civil penalties—up to $500—under section 157.551 of the Texas Family Code to address interference with child‑custody court orders outside city limits; legal staff and law‑enforcement roles were clarified.
The commissioners voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the county to enforce a civil penalty for interfering with court-ordered child custody under §157.551 of the Texas Family Code. Jorge Trevino from civil legal described the process as an administrative avenue that enables law enforcement to issue a citation similar to a traffic ticket for custody‑order violations occurring outside municipal jurisdictions. "The family code creates an opportunity for a county...to enforce, a civil penalty," Trevino said while explaining the statute and the enforcement mechanisms.
The court discussed enforcement logistics: citations would go to a justice‑of‑the‑peace and responding peace officers (sheriff or constable) would document incidents, with body‑camera and time‑stamped evidence available for adjudication. Commissioners said the resolution is intended to give families a streamlined, lower‑cost way to document violations that could later inform criminal or civil enforcement by the district attorney or other authorities.
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