The plain-English summary

Texas Family Code Chapter 153 (Conservatorship, Possession, and Access) is the section of Texas law that governs custody and parenting time decisions. When a Texas court orders supervised possession, the legal authority for that order comes primarily from sections within Chapter 153 — including § 153.002 (best interest standard), § 153.004 (history of family violence), § 153.005 (appointment as conservator), § 153.193 (minimum restriction on parental access), and the Standard Possession Order sections (§§ 153.311–153.317).

This page is not legal advice TruVisit Dallas is a supervised visitation provider, not a law firm. This page is an educational overview only. For advice about your case, consult a licensed Texas family law attorney. For the current authoritative text of any section, see the official Texas Family Code.

Key sections that matter for supervised possession

§ 153.002 — Best interest of the child

The cornerstone of Texas conservatorship and possession decisions. Every court decision about a child's care is governed by the best-interest standard.

§ 153.004 — History or pattern of family violence

Creates specific procedures and presumptions when family violence has been adjudicated or established. Drives many supervised possession orders.

§ 153.005 — Appointment of conservators

Governs how the court appoints managing and possessory conservators (Texas's terms for custodial and non-custodial parents).

§ 153.193 — Minimum restriction on parental access

A court may not deny or unduly restrict possession and access unless the restriction is required to protect the child's best interest. Supervised possession is one of the restrictions the court can use under this section.

§§ 153.311–153.317 — Standard Possession Order (SPO)

Texas's default possession schedule for children three and older. If the court orders supervised possession, the SPO is typically modified to require supervision.

Chapter 156 — Modifications

Governs how existing orders are modified. Requires a "material and substantial change in circumstances" to modify a conservatorship or possession order.

Texas-specific terminology

Texas uses different vocabulary than many other states for family law:

  • "Conservatorship" instead of "custody"
  • "Managing conservator" instead of "custodial parent"
  • "Possessory conservator" instead of "non-custodial parent"
  • "Possession and access" instead of "visitation"
  • "SAPCR" (Suit Affecting the Parent-Child Relationship) — the general term for any family-court case involving a child
  • "Amicus attorney" — Texas's appointed child advocate (similar to GAL elsewhere)
  • "Attorney ad litem" — attorney for the child (different from amicus)
  • "Standard Possession Order" (SPO) — the default Texas parenting time schedule

Court professionals appointed under Texas law

  • District Court Judge or Associate Judge — issues orders, presides at hearings and trial
  • Amicus Attorney — represents the child's best interest; common in contested custody cases
  • Attorney Ad Litem — represents the child as an attorney (different from amicus)
  • Custody Evaluator — mental health professional conducting a parenting evaluation under Texas Family Code Chapter 107
  • Mediator — facilitates settlement; mediation is mandatory in most Texas SAPCRs
  • Parenting Facilitator / Parenting Coordinator — appointed post-decree to help parents implement orders (Texas Family Code §§ 153.601–.611)
  • Supervised Visitation Provider — neutral third party present at visits

Key practical implications for parents

  • The order controls. Whatever your Texas court order says about supervised possession governs.
  • You usually have provider choice. Most DFW orders specify the requirement ("professional supervision") without naming a specific company.
  • Fee allocation is in the order. Whoever the order says pays, pays.
  • The supervisor's records may be subpoenaed. TruVisit Dallas's reports are built to withstand subpoena and possible testimony.
  • The supervisor is neutral. By design and by professional obligation.

Reading your Texas court order — what to look for

  • Type of supervision — full supervised possession? monitored exchange? therapeutic visitation? a combination?
  • Frequency — how often are visits ordered?
  • Duration — length of each period of possession; total duration of the supervised arrangement
  • Location requirements — does the order specify a type of location?
  • Conditions on visits — restrictions on topics, prohibited items, gifts
  • Reporting — who receives reports? how often?
  • Cost allocation — who pays
  • Step-up criteria — what would trigger a change in the arrangement

What this means in practice for working with TruVisit Dallas

If your order references "professional supervised possession" without naming a provider, TruVisit Dallas can be that provider. Our intake process includes a review of your order — we'll flag anything ambiguous and make sure our reporting format matches what your order requires.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a court order to use TruVisit Dallas?
Most of our cases come with a Texas court order, but it isn't strictly required. Some parents engage us voluntarily — for example, as part of an Agreed Order before final judgment.
Can the court order us to use a specific provider?
Yes. Texas courts sometimes appoint a specific provider. More commonly, the order simply specifies the requirement and leaves provider selection to the parties.
What if we can't agree on a provider?
When the parties can't agree, the court can intervene and either appoint a specific provider or order mediation. TruVisit Dallas is regularly selected as a neutral choice in cases where the parties couldn't agree on others.
Are TruVisit Dallas supervisors qualified under Texas law?
Our supervisors are trained, background-checked, and experienced in the documentation standards used by Texas family district courts. We provide credentialing information to your attorney or to the court on request.