Jones v. Fowler

In this case, we consider whether the Legislature intended to substantively change the Family Code section on standing to file a suit affecting the parent-child relationship (SAPCR) when it deleted the word “immediately” from the phrase “immediately preceding.” The court of appeals held that this change was substantive. Fowler v. Jones, 949 S.W.2d 442, 444-45 (Tex.App.-Austin 1997). We reverse and render judgment for Jones.

Tonia Jones and Lisa Fowler began a romantic relationship in 1986. In 1991, Jones conceived a child through the use of a sperm donor. The child was born in 1992, when Jones…