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CHAPTER 25. OFFENSES AGAINST THE FAMILY
§ 25.03. INTERFERENCE WITH CHILD CUSTODY.
(a) A person commits an offense if the person takes or retains
a child younger than 18 years when the person:
(1) knows that the person's taking or retention
violates the express terms of a judgment or order of a court
disposing of the child's custody; or
(2) has not been awarded custody of the child by a
court of competent jurisdiction, knows that a suit for divorce or a
civil suit or application for habeas corpus to dispose of the
child's custody has been filed, and takes the child out of the
geographic area of the counties composing the judicial district if
the court is a district court or the county if the court is a
statutory county court, without the permission of the court and
with the intent to deprive the court of authority over the child.
(b) A noncustodial parent commits an offense if, with the
intent to interfere with the lawful custody of a child younger than
18 years, the noncustodial parent knowingly entices or persuades
the child to leave the custody of the custodial parent, guardian, or
person standing in the stead of the custodial parent or guardian of
the child.
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(2)
that the actor returned the child to the geographic area of the
counties composing the judicial district if the court is a district
court or the county if the court is a statutory county court, within
three days after the date of the commission of the offense.
(d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.
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