Texas Family Code - Section 107.001. Definitions
Legal Research Home >
Texas Lawyer > Family Code > Texas Family Code - Section 107.001. Definitions
§ 107.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Amicus attorney" means an attorney appointed by
the court in a suit, other than a suit filed by a governmental
entity, whose role is to provide legal services necessary to assist
the court in protecting a child's best interests rather than to
provide legal services to the child.
(2) "Attorney ad litem" means an attorney who provides
legal services to a person, including a child, and who owes to the
person the duties of undivided loyalty, confidentiality, and
competent representation.
(3) "Developmentally appropriate" means structured to
account for a child's age, level of education, cultural background,
and degree of language acquisition.
(4) "Dual role" means the role of an attorney who is
appointed under Section 107.0125 to act as both guardian ad litem
and attorney ad litem for a child in a suit filed by a governmental
entity.
(5) "Guardian ad litem" means a person appointed to
represent the best interests of a child. The term includes:
(A) a volunteer advocate appointed under
Subchapter C;
(B) a professional, other than an attorney, who
holds a relevant professional license and whose training relates to
the determination of a child's best interests;
(C) an adult having the competence, training, and
expertise determined by the court to be sufficient to represent the
best interests of the child; or
(D) an attorney ad litem appointed to serve in
the dual role.
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 751, § 15, eff. Sept. 1,
1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1294, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;
Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 262, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Section: 105.005 105.006 105.007 105.008 105.009 106.001 106.002 107.001 107.002 107.003 107.004 107.0045 107.005 107.006 107.007
Last modified: August 11, 2007
|
