determinate sentence under Section 54.04(d)(3) or (m) or Section 54.05(f).
(b)  The judge of the court in which a child is adjudicated shall give the child
credit on the child's sentence for the time spent by the child, in connection with
the conduct for which the child was adjudicated, in a secure detention facility
before the child's transfer to a Texas Youth Commission facility.
(c)  If a child appeals the child's adjudication and is retained in a secure detention
facility pending the appeal, the judge of the court in which the child was
adjudicated shall give the child credit on the child's sentence for the time spent by
the child in a secure detention facility pending disposition of the child's appeal.  
The court shall endorse on both the commitment and the mandate from the
appellate court all credit given the child under this subsection.
(d)  The Texas Youth Commission shall grant any credit under this section in
computing the child's eligibility for parole and discharge.
Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 263, Sec. 10, eff. June 8, 2007.
Sec. 54.06.  JUDGMENTS FOR SUPPORT.  (a)  At any stage of the proceeding,
when a child has been placed outside the child's home, the juvenile court, after
giving the parent or other person responsible for the child's support a reasonable
opportunity to be heard, shall order the parent or other person to pay in a manner
directed by the court a reasonable sum for the support in whole or in part of the
child or the court shall waive the payment by order.  The court shall order that
the payment for support be made to the local juvenile probation department to be
used only for residential care and other support for the child unless the child has
been committed to the Texas Youth Commission, in which case the court shall
order that the payment be made to the Texas Youth Commission for deposit in a
special account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated only for the
care of children committed to the commission.
(b)  At any stage of the proceeding, when a child has been placed outside the child's
home and the parent of the child is obligated to pay support for the child under a
court order under Title 5, the juvenile court shall order that the person entitled to
receive the support assign the person's right to support for the child placed outside
the child's home to the local juvenile probation department to be used for
residential care and other support for the child unless the child has been
committed to the Texas Youth Commission, in which event the court shall order
that the assignment be made to the Texas Youth Commission.
(c)  A court may enforce an order for support under this section by ordering
garnishment of the wages of the person ordered to pay support or by any other
means available to enforce a child support order under Title 5.
(d)  Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 283, Sec. 61(1).
(e)  The court shall apply the child support guidelines under Subchapter C,
Chapter 154, in an order requiring the payment of child support under this
section.  The court shall also require in an order to pay child support under this
section that health insurance be provided for the child.  Subchapter D, Chapter
154, applies to an order requiring health insurance for a child under this section.
(f)  An order under this section prevails over any previous child support order
issued with regard to the child to the extent of any conflict between the orders..
Sec. 54.061.  PAYMENT OF PROBATION FEES.  (a)  If a child is placed on probation
under Section 54.04(d)(1) of this code, the juvenile court, after giving the child,
parent, or other person responsible for the child's support a reasonable opportunity
to be heard, shall order the child, parent, or other person, if financially able to do
so, to pay to the court a fee of not more than $15 a month during the period that
the child continues on probation.
(b)  Orders for the payment of fees under this section may be enforced as provided
by Section 54.07 of this code.
(c)  The court shall deposit the fees received under this section in the county
treasury to the credit of a special fund that may be used only for juvenile
probation or community-based juvenile corrections services or facilities in which a
juvenile may be required to live while under court supervision.
(d)  If the court finds that a child, parent, or other person responsible for the child's
support is financially unable to pay the probation fee required under Subsection
(a), the court shall enter into the records of the child's case a statement of that
finding.  The court may waive a fee under this section only if the court makes the
finding under this subsection.
Added by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 338, ch. 154, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1979.  
Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 2425, ch. 617, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1981;  
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 1040, Sec. 25, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg.,
ch. 262, Sec. 44, eff. Jan. 1, 1996.
Sec. 54.07.  ENFORCEMENT OF ORDER.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b)
or a juvenile court child support order, any order of the juvenile court may be
enforced as provided by Chapter 61.
(b)  A violation of any of the following orders of the juvenile court may not be
enforced by contempt of court proceedings against the child:
(1)  an order setting conditions of probation;
(2)  an order setting conditions of deferred prosecution;  and
(3)  an order setting conditions of release from detention.
(c)  This section and Chapter 61 do not preclude a juvenile court from summarily
finding a child or other person in direct contempt of the juvenile court for conduct
occurring in the presence of the judge of the court.  Direct contempt of the juvenile
court by a child is punishable by a maximum of 10 days' confinement in a secure
juvenile detention facility or by a maximum of 40 hours of community service, or
both.  The juvenile court may not impose a fine on a child for direct contempt.
(d)  This section and Chapter 61 do not preclude a juvenile court in an appropriate
case from using a civil or coercive contempt proceeding to enforce an order.73.  
Amended by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 339, ch. 154, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1979;  Acts
2003, 78th Leg., ch. 283, Sec. 23, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Sec. 54.08.  PUBLIC ACCESS TO COURT HEARINGS.  (a)  Except as provided by
this section, the court shall open hearings under this title to the public unless the
court, for good cause shown, determines that the public should be excluded.
(b)  The court may not prohibit a person who is a victim of the conduct of a child,
or the person's family, from personally attending a hearing under this title
relating to the conduct by the child unless the victim or member of the victim's
family is to testify in the hearing or any subsequent hearing relating to the
conduct and the court determines that the victim's or family member's testimony
would be materially affected if the victim or member of the victim's family hears
other testimony at trial.
(c)  If a child is under the age of 14 at the time of the hearing, the court shall close
the hearing to the public unless the court finds that the interests of the child or the
interests of the public would be better served by opening the hearing to the public.
(d)  In this section, "family" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.003.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 1460, ch. 544, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1973.  Amended by
Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 385, Sec. 11, eff. Sept. 1, 1987;  Acts 1995, 74th Leg.,
ch. 262, Sec. 45, eff. Jan. 1, 1996;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1086, Sec. 12, eff.
Sept. 1, 1997.
Sec. 54.09.  RECORDING OF PROCEEDINGS.  All judicial proceedings under this
chapter except detention hearings shall be recorded by stenographic notes or by
electronic, mechanical, or other appropriate means.  Upon request of any party, a
detention hearing shall be recorded.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 1460, ch. 544, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1973.
Sec. 54.10.  HEARINGS BEFORE REFEREE.
Text of subsection effective until the day the compact is enacted into law by the
35th state, as defined by the compact.
(a)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), a hearing under Section 54.03, 54.04,
or 54.05, including a jury trial, a hearing under Chapter 55, including a jury
trial, or a hearing under Article IV, Article V, and Article VI of the Uniform
Interstate Compact on Juveniles (Chapter 60) may be held by a referee appointed
in accordance with Section 51.04(g) or a master appointed under Chapter 54,
Government Code, provided:
(1)  the parties have been informed by the referee or master that they are entitled
to have the hearing before the juvenile court judge;  and
(2)  after each party is given an opportunity to object, no party objects to holding
the hearing before the referee or master.
Text of subsection effective on the day the compact is enacted into law by the 35th
state, as defined by the compact.
(a)  Except as provided by Subsection (e), a hearing under Section 54.03, 54.04,
or 54.05, including a jury trial, a hearing under Chapter 55, including a jury
trial, or a hearing under the Interstate Compact for Juveniles (Chapter 60) may
be held by a referee appointed in accordance with Section 51.04(g) or a master
appointed under Chapter 54, Government Code, provided:
(1)  the parties have been informed by the referee or master that they are entitled
to have the hearing before the juvenile court judge; and
(2)  after each party is given an opportunity to object, no party objects to holding
the hearing before the referee or master.
(b)  The determination under Section 53.02(f) whether to release a child may be
made by a referee appointed in accordance with Section 51.04(g) if:
(1)  the child has been informed by the referee that the child is entitled to have the
determination made by the juvenile court judge or a substitute judge authorized
by Section 51.04(f);  or
(2)  the child and the attorney for the child have in accordance with Section 51.09
waived the right to have the determination made by the juvenile court judge or a
substitute judge.
(c)  If a child objects to a referee making the determination under Section 53.02(f),
the juvenile court judge or a substitute judge authorized by Section 51.04(f) shall
make the determination.
(d)  At the conclusion of the hearing or immediately after making the
determination, the referee shall transmit written findings and recommendations
to the juvenile court judge.  The juvenile court judge shall adopt, modify, or reject
the referee's recommendations not later than the next working day after the day
that the judge receives the recommendations.  Failure to act within that time
results in release of the child by operation of law and a recommendation that the
child be released operates to secure the child's immediate release subject to the
power of the juvenile court judge to modify or reject that recommendation.
(e)  The hearings provided by Sections 54.03, 54.04, and 54.05 may not be held
before a referee if the grand jury has approved of the petition and the child is
subject to a determinate sentence.nded by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1007, Sec. 2.03.
Sec. 54.11.  RELEASE OR TRANSFER HEARING.  (a)  On receipt of a referral under
Section 61.079(a), Human Resources Code, for the transfer to the institutional
division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice of a person committed to the
Texas Youth Commission under Section 54.04(d)(3), 54.04(m), or 54.05(f), or on
receipt of a request by the commission under Section 61.081(g), Human Resources
Code, for approval of the release under supervision of a person committed to the
commission under Section 54.04(d)(3), 54.04(m), or 54.05(f), the court shall set
a time and place for a hearing on the release of the person.
(b)  The court shall notify the following of the time and place of the hearing:
(1)  the person to be transferred or released under supervision;
(2)  the parents of the person;
(3)  any legal custodian of the person, including the Texas Youth Commission;
(4)  the office of the prosecuting attorney that represented the state in the juvenile
delinquency proceedings;
(5)  the victim of the offense that was included in the delinquent conduct that was
a ground for the disposition, or a member of the victim's family;  and
(6)  any other person who has filed a written request with the court to be notified
of a release hearing with respect to the person to be transferred or released under
supervision.
(c)  Except for the person to be transferred or released under supervision and the
prosecuting attorney, the failure to notify a person listed in Subsection (b) of this
section does not affect the validity of a hearing conducted or determination made
under this section if the record in the case reflects that the whereabouts of the
persons who did not receive notice were unknown to the court and a reasonable
effort was made by the court to locate those persons.
(d)  At a hearing under this section the court may consider written reports from
probation officers, professional court employees, professional consultants, or
employees of the Texas Youth Commission, in addition to the testimony of
witnesses.  At least one day before the hearing, the court shall provide the
attorney for the person to be transferred or released under supervision with access
to all written matter to be considered by the court.
(e)  At the hearing, the person to be transferred or released under supervision is
entitled to an attorney, to examine all witnesses against him, to present evidence
and oral argument, and to previous examination of all reports on and evaluations
and examinations of or relating to him that may be used in the hearing.
(f)  A hearing under this section is open to the public unless the person to be
transferred or released under supervision waives a public hearing with the
consent of his attorney and the court.
(g)  A hearing under this section must be recorded by a court reporter or by audio
or video tape recording, and the record of the hearing must be retained by the
court for at least two years after the date of the final determination on the transfer
or release of the person by the court.
(h)  The hearing on a person who is referred for transfer under Section 61.079(a),
Human Resources Code, shall be held not later than the 60th day after the date
the court receives the referral.
(i)  On conclusion of the hearing on a person who is referred for transfer under
Section 61.079(a), Human Resources Code, the court may order:
(1)  the return of the person to the Texas Youth Commission;  or
(2)  the transfer of the person to the custody of the institutional division of the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice for the completion of the person's sentence.
(j)  On conclusion of the hearing on a person who is referred for release under
supervision under Section 61.081(f), Human Resources Code, the court may order
the return of the person to the Texas Youth Commission:
(1)  with approval for the release of the person under supervision;  or
(2)  without approval for the release of the person under supervision.
(k)  In making a determination under this section, the court may consider the
experiences and character of the person before and after commitment to the youth
commission, the nature of the penal offense that the person was found to have
committed and the manner in which the offense was committed, the abilities of
the person to contribute to society, the protection of the victim of the offense or
any member of the victim's family, the recommendations of the youth
commission and prosecuting attorney, the best interests of the person, and any
other factor relevant to the issue to be decided.
(l)  Pending the conclusion of a transfer hearing, the juvenile court shall order
that the person who is referred for transfer be detained in a certified juvenile
detention facility as provided by Subsection (m).  If the person is at least 17 years
of age, the juvenile court may order that the person be detained without bond in
an appropriate county facility for the detention of adults accused of criminal
offenses.
(m)  The detention of a person in a certified juvenile detention facility must
comply with the detention requirements under this title, except that, to the extent
practicable, the person must be kept separate from children detained in the same
facility.
(n)  If the juvenile court orders that a person who is referred for transfer be
detained in a county facility under Subsection (l), the county sheriff shall take
custody of the person under the juvenile court's order. 74th Leg., ch. 262, Sec. 46,
eff. Jan. 1, 1996;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1297, Sec. 29, eff. Sept. 1, 2001;  Acts
2003, 78th Leg., ch. 283, Sec. 24, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
FAMILY CODE
CHAPTER 54. JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS
The Houston, Texas, Juvenile Defense Law Firm of Attorney Andy Nolen,  represents Juveniles  who have been accused of a state crime in Texas, including in
communities such as League City, Angleton, Pearland, Alvin, Clear Lake, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Baytown, Pasadena, Memorial, Spring Branch, River
Oaks, West University, and Bellaire. Counties that this firm serves include: Galveston County • Fort Bend County • Montgomery County • Brazoria County • Harris
County.  Cases handled include: Probation Violations, Assault, Credit Card Abuse, Theft, Shoplifting, Drunk Driving, Evading Arrest, Truancy, School Problems,
Certification as an Adult, Juvenile Crime
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