Interfering with a Child Custody case under a court order involving a child under 15 is punishable as what?

• A. State Jail Felony
• B. Class A Misdemeanor
• C. Class B Misdemeanor
• D. 3rd Degree Felony

Answer: (A)

Interfering with a child custody case under a court order, and involving a child younger than 15, is punished as a state jail felony because Texas law treats violation of a custody order with a very young child as a heightened offense. The act of taking, retaining, or interfering with custody in the context of a court order shows a clear disregard for a judicial directive, and the added factor of the child being under 15 elevates the penalty. State jail felony carries 180 days to 2 years in state jail, with possible fines up to $10,000. In other circumstances, without the court order or with an older child, the offense would be punished less severely, but the combination here specifically triggers the state jail level.