A Texas appeals court rejected LaNoard Bayouth’s bid to manage his daughter’s estate amid a dispute over child support and Social Security benefits.
2026, opinion published by Justia, the Texas Eleventh Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s decision to reject LaNoard Murad Bayouth’s application to manage his daughter Addison Kay Bayouth’s estate, according to the October 22. A Texas appeals court has rejected a father’s attempt to become the guardian of his daughter’s estate, ruling that his financial interests conflicted with hers. The court also upheld an order requiring him to pay attorney’s fees to his former wife. The judges found that his separate effort to reduce his child support payments could potentially lower the total money received for his daughter’s benefit. The ruling upheld the trial court’s findings that the guardianship application was filed in bad faith and without just cause.
Dispute centred on child support and Social Security benefits
LaNoard was required to pay $2,650 a month in child support for Addison, according to the court’s opinion. Because of his disability, she also received $1,829 in monthly Social Security benefits on his behalf. He argued that the proposed credit was permitted by law and would not change the overall amount attributed to his support obligation. However, the appeals court noted that it would reduce the total amount his former wife, Tammie Lynn Bayouth, received for Addison’s benefit, as she currently receives both payments on her daughter’s behalf. The court clarified that it was not deciding whether LaNoard was legally entitled to the proposed adjustment. That question would have to be resolved in the separate child support modification proceeding.