Texas Family Code - Section 54.032. Deferral Of Adjudication And Dismissal Of Certain Cases On Completion Of Teen Court Program

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§ 54.032. DEFERRAL OF ADJUDICATION AND DISMISSAL OF 
CERTAIN CASES ON COMPLETION OF TEEN COURT PROGRAM.  (a) A juvenile 
court may defer adjudication proceedings under Section 54.03 for 
not more than 180 days if the child:
		(1)  is alleged to have engaged in conduct indicating a 
need for supervision that violated a penal law of this state of the 
grade of misdemeanor that is punishable by fine only or a penal 
ordinance of a political subdivision of this state;
		(2)  waives, under Section 51.09, the privilege against 
self-incrimination and testifies under oath that the allegations 
are true;
		(3)  presents to the court an oral or written request to 
attend a teen court program;  and
		(4)  has not successfully completed a teen court 
program in the two years preceding the date that the alleged conduct 
occurred.
	(b)  The teen court program must be approved by the court.                     
	(c)  A child for whom adjudication proceedings are deferred 
under Subsection (a) shall complete the teen court program not 
later than the 90th day after the date the teen court hearing to 
determine punishment is held or the last day of the deferral period, 
whichever date is earlier.  The court shall dismiss the case with 
prejudice at the time the child presents satisfactory evidence that 
the child has successfully completed the teen court program.
	(d)  A case dismissed under this section may not be part of 
the child's records for any purpose.
	(e)  The court may require a child who requests a teen court 
program to pay a fee not to exceed $10 that is set by the court to 
cover the costs of administering this section.  The court shall 
deposit the fee in the county treasury of the county in which the 
court is located.  A child who requests a teen court program and 
does not complete the program is not entitled to a refund of the 
fee.
	(f)  A court may transfer a case in which proceedings have 
been deferred as provided by this section to a court in another 
county if the court to which the case is transferred consents.  A 
case may not be transferred unless it is within the jurisdiction of 
the court to which it is transferred.
	(g)  In addition to the fee authorized by Subsection (e), the 
court may require a child who requests a teen court program to pay a 
$10 fee to cover the cost to the teen court for performing its 
duties under this section.  The court shall pay the fee to the teen 
court program, and the teen court program must account to the court 
for the receipt and disbursal of the fee.  A child who pays a fee 
under this subsection is not entitled to a refund of the fee, 
regardless of whether the child successfully completes the teen 
court program.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1031, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  
Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 748, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 
1995;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 216, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  
Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 283, § 18, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Last modified: August 10, 2007