Tex. Family Code § 42.006
This is the official text of Tex. Family Code § 42.006, part of Texas’s Family Code — governs marriage, divorce, child custody and support, and adoption.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 42.006. DAMAGES.
Official statutory text
(a) Damages may include:
(1) reasonable and necessary attorney's fees, court costs, and expenses incurred in:
(A) locating a child who is the subject of the order;
(B) recovering possession of the child if the petitioner is entitled to possession; and
(C) enforcing the order and prosecuting the suit; and
(2) mental suffering and anguish incurred by the plaintiff because of a violation of the order.
(b) A person liable for damages who acted with malice or with an intent to cause harm to the plaintiff may be liable for exemplary damages.
(1) reasonable and necessary attorney's fees, court costs, and expenses incurred in:
(A) locating a child who is the subject of the order;
(B) recovering possession of the child if the petitioner is entitled to possession; and
(C) enforcing the order and prosecuting the suit; and
(2) mental suffering and anguish incurred by the plaintiff because of a violation of the order.
(b) A person liable for damages who acted with malice or with an intent to cause harm to the plaintiff may be liable for exemplary damages.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Dealing with a family matter in Texas?
See all Texas Family lawyers
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.