Texas Family Code 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 § 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 § 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.
Terms Used In Texas Family Code 54.032
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- 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.
- Written: includes any representation of words, letters, symbols, or figures. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(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(e) Repealed by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 472 (S.B. 41), Sec. 5.01(b)(1), eff. January 1, 2022.
(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(g) Repealed by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 472 (S.B. 41), Sec. 5.01(b)(1), eff. January 1, 2022.
(h) Repealed by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 472 (S.B. 41), Sec. 5.01(b)(1), eff. January 1, 2022.