Question:
Does a parent have any continuing legal obligation to support a child in Texas after the child enters into a valid marriage?
Answer:
No. In Texas, once a minor marries in accordance with Texas law, that child is considered legally emancipated. This emancipation grants the minor the full legal capacity of an adult and severs the parent’s legal obligations of support. The Texas Court of Appeals in Husband v. Pierce, 800 S.W.2d 661 (Tex. App.—Tyler 1990, orig. proceeding), affirmed that the rights and duties of a parent, including the duty of support, end once the child is emancipated by marriage. This means the parent is no longer financially or legally responsible for the child’s welfare. It’s as though the child steps out from under the parent’s roof and walks alone, by law and by duty.