Art. 45.0492. COMMUNITY SERVICE IN SATISFACTION OF FINE OR COSTS FOR CERTAIN JUVENILE DEFENDANTS. (a) This article applies only to a defendant younger than 17 years of age who is assessed a fine or costs for a Class C misdemeanor.
(b) A justice or judge may require a defendant described by Subsection (a) to discharge all or part of the fine or costs by performing community service. A defendant may discharge an obligation to perform community service under this article by paying at any time the fine and costs assessed.
(c) In the justice's or judge's order requiring a defendant to perform community service under this article, the justice or judge shall specify the number of hours of service the defendant is required to perform and may not order more than 200 hours of service.
(d) The justice or judge may order the defendant to perform community service work under this article only for a governmental entity or a nonprofit organization that provides services to the general public that enhance social welfare and the general well-being of the community. A governmental entity or nonprofit organization that accepts a defendant under this article to perform community service must agree to supervise the defendant in the performance of the defendant's work and report on the defendant's work to the justice or judge who ordered the community service.
(e) A justice or judge may not order a defendant to perform more than 16 hours of community service per week under this article unless the justice or judge determines that requiring additional hours of work does not cause a hardship on the defendant or the defendant's family. For purposes of this subsection, "family" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.003, Family Code.
(f) A sheriff, employee of a sheriff's department, county commissioner, county employee, county judge, justice of the peace, municipal court judge, or officer or employee of a political subdivision other than a county is not liable for damages arising from an act or failure to act in connection with community service performed by a defendant under this article if the act or failure to act:
(1) was performed pursuant to court order; and
(2) was not intentional, wilfully or wantonly negligent, or performed with conscious indifference or reckless disregard for the safety of others.
(g) A local juvenile probation department or a court-related services office may provide the administrative and other services necessary for supervision of a defendant required to perform community service under this article.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 777 (H.B. 1964), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
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