Sec. 1155.151. COSTS IN GUARDIANSHIP PROCEEDING GENERALLY. (a) In a guardianship proceeding, the court costs of the proceeding, including the costs described by Subsection (a-1), shall, except as provided by Subsection (c), be paid as follows, and the court shall issue the judgment accordingly:

(1) out of the guardianship estate;

(2) out of the management trust, if a management trust has been created for the benefit of the ward under Chapter 1301 and the court determines it is in the ward's best interest;

(3) by the party to the proceeding who incurred the costs, unless that party filed, on the party's own behalf, an affidavit of inability to pay the costs under Rule 145, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, that shows the party is unable to afford the costs, if:

(A) there is no guardianship estate or no management trust has been created for the ward's benefit; or

(B) the assets of the guardianship estate or management trust, as appropriate, are insufficient to pay the costs; or

(4) out of the county treasury if:

(A) there is no guardianship estate or management trust or the assets of the guardianship estate or management trust, as appropriate, are insufficient to pay the costs; and

(B) the party to the proceeding who incurred the costs filed, on the party's own behalf, an affidavit of inability to pay the costs under Rule 145, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, that shows the party is unable to afford the costs.

(a-1) In a guardianship proceeding, the cost of any guardians ad litem, attorneys ad litem, court visitors, mental health professionals, and interpreters appointed under this title shall be set in an amount the court considers equitable and just.

(a-2) Notwithstanding any other law requiring the payment of court costs in a guardianship proceeding, the following are not required to pay court costs on the filing of or during a guardianship proceeding:

(1) an attorney ad litem;

(2) a guardian ad litem;

(3) a person or entity who files an affidavit of inability to pay the costs under Rule 145, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, that shows the person or entity is unable to afford the costs;

(4) a nonprofit guardianship program;

(5) a governmental entity; and

(6) a government agency or nonprofit agency providing guardianship services.

(a-3) For purposes of Subsections (a) and (a-2), a person or entity who files an affidavit of inability to pay the costs under Rule 145, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, is unable to afford the costs if the affidavit shows that the person or entity:

(1) is currently receiving assistance or other benefits from a government program under which assistance or other benefits are provided to individuals on a means-tested basis;

(2) is eligible for and currently receiving free legal services in the guardianship proceeding through the following:

(A) a legal services provider funded partly by the Texas Access to Justice Foundation;

(B) a legal services provider funded partly by the Legal Services Corporation; or

(C) a nonprofit corporation formed under the laws of this state that provides legal services to low-income individuals whose household income is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines as determined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services;

(3) applied and was eligible for free legal services through a person or entity listed in Subdivision (2) but was declined representation; or

(4) has a household income that is at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines as determined by the United States Department of Health and Human Services and has money or other available assets, excluding any homestead and exempt property under Chapter 42, Property Code, in an amount that does not exceed $2,000.

(a-4) If an affidavit of inability to pay costs filed under Rule 145, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, is contested, the court, at a hearing, shall review the contents of and attachments to the affidavit and any other evidence offered at the hearing and make a determination as to whether the person or entity is unable to afford the costs. If the court finds that the person or entity is able to afford the costs, the person or entity must pay the court costs. Except with leave of court, no further action in the guardianship proceeding may be taken by a person or entity found able to afford costs until payment of those costs is made.

(b) The costs attributable to the services of a person described by Subsection (a-1) shall be paid under this section at any time after the commencement of the proceeding as ordered by the court.

(c) If the court finds that a party in a guardianship proceeding acted in bad faith or without just cause in prosecuting or objecting to an application in the proceeding, the court may order the party to pay all or part of the costs of the proceeding. If the party found to be acting in bad faith or without just cause was required to provide security for the probable costs of the proceeding under Section 1053.052, the court shall first apply the amount provided as security as payment for costs ordered by the court under this subsection. If the amount provided as security is insufficient to pay the entire amount ordered by the court, the court shall render judgment in favor of the estate against the party for the remaining amount.

(d) If a guardianship of the estate or management trust under Chapter 1301 is created, a person or entity who paid any costs on the filing of or during the proceeding is entitled to be reimbursed out of assets of the guardianship estate or management trust, as appropriate, for the costs if:

(1) the assets of the estate or trust, as appropriate, are sufficient to cover the reimbursement of the costs; and

(2) the person or entity has not been ordered by the court to pay the costs as all or part of the payment of court costs under Subsection (c).

(e) If at any time after a guardianship of the estate or management trust under Chapter 1301 is created there are sufficient assets of the estate or trust, as appropriate, to pay the amount of any of the costs exempt from payment under Subsection (a-2), the court shall require the guardian to pay out of the guardianship estate or management trust, as appropriate, to the court clerk for deposit in the county treasury the amount of any of those costs.

(f) To the extent that this section conflicts with the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure or other rules, this section controls.

Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 823 (H.B. 2759), Sec. 1.02, eff. January 1, 2014.

Amended by:

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 982 (H.B. 2080), Sec. 19, eff. January 1, 2014.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1031 (H.B. 1438), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2015.