Sec. 201.104.  POWERS OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE.  (a)  On the motion of a party or the associate judge, an associate judge may refer a complex case back to the judge for final disposition after the associate judge has recommended temporary support.
(b)  An associate judge may render and sign any order that is not a final order on the merits of the case.
(c)  An associate judge may recommend to the referring court any order after a trial on the merits.
(d)  Only the referring court may hear and render an order on a motion for postjudgment relief, including a motion for a new trial or to vacate, correct, or reform a judgment.
(e)  Notwithstanding Subsection (d) and subject to Section 201.1042(g), an associate judge may hear and render an order on any matter necessary to be decided in connection with a Title IV-D service, including:
(1)  a suit to modify or clarify an existing child support order;
(2)  a motion to enforce a child support order or revoke a respondent's community supervision and suspension of commitment;
(3)  a respondent's compliance with the conditions provided in the associate judge's report for suspension of the respondent's commitment;
(4)  a motion for postjudgment relief, including a motion for a new trial or to vacate, correct, or reform a judgment, if neither party has requested a de novo hearing before the referring court;
(5)  a suit affecting the parent-child relationship; and
(6)  a suit for modification under Chapter 156.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995.  Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 556, Sec. 42, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1023, Sec. 46, eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1258, Sec. 8, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by: 
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 806 (S.B. 1437), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 699 (H.B. 2048), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.