Texas Family Code 261.3013 – Case Closure Agreements Prohibited
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), on closing a case, the department may not enter into a written agreement with a child’s parent or another adult with whom the child resides that requires the parent or other adult to take certain actions after the case is closed to ensure the child’s safety.
(b) This section does not apply to an agreement that is entered into by a parent or other adult:
(1) following the removal of a child and that is subject to the approval of a court with continuing jurisdiction over the child;
(2) as a result of the person‘s participation in family group conferencing; or
(3) as part of a formal case closure plan agreed to by the person who will continue to care for a child as a result of a parental child safety placement.
Terms Used In Texas Family Code 261.3013
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) The department shall develop policies to guide caseworkers in the development of case closure agreements authorized under Subsections (b)(2) and (3).