Title FA, Family Code

Sec. 201.2061. SUPERVISION OF ASSOCIATE JUDGES. (a) The office of court administration shall assist the presiding judges in: (1) monitoring the associate judges' compliance with any applicable job performance standards, uniform practices adopted by the presiding judges, and feder…

Sec. 201.207. STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS; PERSONNEL. (a) The office of court administration may contract for available state and federal funds from any source and may employ personnel needed to implement and administer this subchapter. An associate judge and other personnel appointe…

Sec. 201.208. ASSIGNMENT OF JUDGES AND VISITING ASSOCIATE JUDGES. (a) This chapter does not limit the authority of a presiding judge to assign a judge eligible for assignment under Chapter 74, Government Code, to assist in processing cases in a reasonable time. (b) The presiding …

Sec. 201.209. LIMITATION ON LAW PRACTICE BY ASSOCIATE JUDGE. An associate judge appointed under this subchapter may not engage in the private practice of law. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1258, Sec. 24, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. SUBCHAPTER D. ASSOCIATE JUDGE FOR JUVENILE MATTERS

Sec. 201.301. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only to an associate judge appointed under this subchapter and does not apply to a juvenile court master appointed under Subchapter K, Chapter 54, Government Code. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. …

Sec. 201.302. APPOINTMENT. (a) A judge of a court that is designated as a juvenile court may appoint a full-time or part-time associate judge to perform the duties authorized by this chapter if the commissioners court of a county in which the court has jurisdiction has authorized…

Sec. 201.303. QUALIFICATIONS. To qualify for appointment as an associate judge under this subchapter, a person must: (1) be a resident of this state and one of the counties the person will serve; (2) have been licensed to practice law in this state for at least four years; (3) no…

Sec. 201.304. COMPENSATION. (a) An associate judge shall be paid a salary determined by the commissioners court of the county in which the associate judge serves. (b) If an associate judge serves in more than one county, the associate judge shall be paid a salary as determined by…

Sec. 201.305. TERMINATION. (a) An associate judge who serves a single court serves at the will of the judge of that court. (b) The employment of an associate judge who serves more than two courts may only be terminated by a majority vote of all the judges of the courts which the …

Sec. 201.306. CASES THAT MAY BE REFERRED. (a) Except as provided by this section, a judge of a juvenile court may refer to an associate judge any aspect of a juvenile matter brought: (1) under this title or Title 3; or (2) in connection with Rule 308a, Texas Rules of Civil Proced…

Sec. 201.307. METHODS OF REFERRAL. (a) A case may be referred to an associate judge by an order of referral in a specific case or by an omnibus order. (b) The order of referral may limit the power or duties of an associate judge. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.…

Sec. 201.308. POWERS OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE. (a) Except as limited by an order of referral, an associate judge may: (1) conduct a hearing; (2) hear evidence; (3) compel production of relevant evidence; (4) rule on the admissibility of evidence; (5) issue a summons for: (A) the appear…

Sec. 201.309. REFEREES. (a) An associate judge appointed under this subchapter may serve as a referee as provided by Sections 51.04(g) and 54.10. (b) A referee appointed under Section 51.04(g) may be appointed to serve as an associate judge under this subchapter. Added by Acts 20…

Sec. 201.310. ATTENDANCE OF BAILIFF. A bailiff may attend a hearing by an associate judge if directed by the referring court. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 6.03, eff. January 1, 2012.

Sec. 201.311. WITNESS. (a) A witness appearing before an associate judge is subject to the penalties for perjury provided by law. (b) A referring court may fine or imprison a witness who: (1) failed to appear before an associate judge after being summoned; or (2) improperly refus…

Sec. 201.312. COURT REPORTER; RECORD. (a) A court reporter may be provided during a hearing held by an associate judge appointed under this subchapter. A court reporter is required to be provided when the associate judge presides over a jury trial or a contested final termination…

Sec. 201.313. REPORT. (a) The associate judge's report may contain the associate judge's findings, conclusions, or recommendations and may be in the form of a proposed order. The associate judge's report must be in writing and in the form directed by the referring court. (b) Afte…

Sec. 201.314. NOTICE OF RIGHT TO DE NOVO HEARING; WAIVER. (a) An associate judge shall give all parties notice of the right to a de novo hearing to the judge of the referring court. (b) The notice may be given: (1) by oral statement in open court; (2) by posting inside or outside…

Sec. 201.315. ORDER OF COURT. (a) Pending a de novo hearing before the referring court, a proposed order or judgment of the associate judge is in full force and effect and is enforceable as an order or judgment of the referring court, except for an order providing for the appoint…

Sec. 201.316. JUDICIAL ACTION ON ASSOCIATE JUDGE'S PROPOSED ORDER OR JUDGMENT. Unless a party files a written request for a de novo hearing before the referring court, the referring court may: (1) adopt, modify, or reject the associate judge's proposed order or judgment; (2) hear…

Sec. 201.317. DE NOVO HEARING. (a) A party may request a de novo hearing before the referring court by filing with the clerk of the referring court a written request not later than the third working day after the date the party receives notice of the substance of the associate ju…

Sec. 201.318. APPELLATE REVIEW. (a) A party's failure to request a de novo hearing before the referring court or a party's waiver of the right to request a de novo hearing before the referring court does not deprive the party of the right to appeal to or request other relief from…

Sec. 201.319. JUDICIAL IMMUNITY. An associate judge appointed under this subchapter has the judicial immunity of a district judge. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 6.03, eff. January 1, 2012.

Sec. 201.320. VISITING ASSOCIATE JUDGE. (a) If an associate judge appointed under this subchapter is temporarily unable to perform the judge's official duties because of absence or illness, injury, or other disability, a judge of a court having jurisdiction of a suit under this t…

Sec. 202.001. APPOINTMENT. (a) After an order for child support or possession of or access to a child has been rendered, a court may appoint a friend of the court on: (1) the request of a person alleging that the order has been violated; or (2) its own motion. (b) A court may app…

Sec. 202.002. AUTHORITY AND DUTIES. (a) A friend of the court may coordinate nonjudicial efforts to improve compliance with a court order relating to child support or possession of or access to a child by use of: (1) telephone communication; (2) written communication; (3) one or …

Sec. 202.003. DUTY OF LOCAL OFFICES AND OFFICIALS TO REPORT. A local domestic relations office, a local registry, or a court official designated to receive child support under a court order shall, if ordered by the court, report to the court or a friend of the court on a monthly …

Sec. 202.004. ACCESS TO INFORMATION. A friend of the court may arrange access to child support payment records by electronic means if the records are computerized. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995.

Sec. 202.005. COMPENSATION. (a) A friend of the court is entitled to compensation for services rendered and for expenses incurred in rendering the services. (b) The court may assess the amount that the friend of the court receives in compensation against a party to the suit in th…

Sec. 203.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Administering entity" means a commissioners court, juvenile board, or other entity responsible for administering a domestic relations office under this chapter. (2) "Domestic relations office" means a county office that serves fami…

Sec. 203.002. ESTABLISHMENT OF DOMESTIC RELATIONS OFFICE. A commissioners court may establish a domestic relations office. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995. Renumbered from Family Code Sec. 203.003 and amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 475, Se…

Sec. 203.003. ADMINISTRATION. (a) A domestic relations office shall be administered: (1) as provided by the commissioners court; or (2) if the commissioners court does not otherwise provide for the administration of the office, by the juvenile board that serves the county in whic…

Sec. 203.004. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) A domestic relations office may: (1) collect and disburse child support payments that are ordered by a court to be paid through a domestic relations registry; (2) maintain records of payments and disbursements made under Subdivision (1); (3) f…

Sec. 203.005. FEES AND CHARGES. (a) The administering entity may authorize a domestic relations office to assess and collect: (1) an initial operations fee not to exceed $15 to be paid to the domestic relations office on each filing of an original suit, motion for modification, o…

Sec. 203.006. FUND. (a) As determined by the administering entity, fees collected or received by a domestic relations office shall be deposited in: (1) the general fund for the county in which the domestic relations office is located; or (2) the office fund established for the do…

Sec. 203.007. ACCESS TO RECORDS; OFFENSE. (a) A domestic relations office may obtain the records described by Subsections (b), (c), (d), and (e) that relate to a person who has: (1) been ordered to pay child support; (2) been designated as a conservator of a child; (3) been desig…

Sec. 204.001. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to a commissioners court or domestic relations office of a county that did not have the authority to contract with a private entity to receive, disburse, and record payments or restitution of child support on January 1, 1997.…

Sec. 204.002. AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT. A county, acting through its commissioners court or domestic relations office, may contract with a private entity to: (1) enforce, collect, receive, and disburse: (A) child support payments; (B) other amounts due under a court order containing…

Sec. 204.003. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT. The commissioners court or domestic relations office shall include all appropriate terms and conditions in the contract that it determines are reasonable to secure the services of a private entity as provided by this chapter, includ…

Sec. 204.004. FUNDING. (a) To provide or recover the costs of providing services authorized by this chapter, a commissioners court, on its behalf or on behalf of the domestic relations office, may: (1) provide by order for the assessment and collection of a reasonable fee at the …

Sec. 204.005. CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF CHAPTER. A power or duty conferred on a county, county official, or county instrumentality by this chapter is cumulative of the powers and duties created or conferred by other law. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1053, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1…

Sec. 231.001. DESIGNATION OF TITLE IV-D AGENCY. The office of the attorney general is designated as the state's Title IV-D agency. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995.

Sec. 231.0011. DEVELOPMENT OF STATEWIDE INTEGRATED SYSTEM FOR CHILD SUPPORT, MEDICAL SUPPORT, AND DENTAL SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT. (a) The Title IV-D agency shall have final approval authority on any contract or proposal for delivery of Title IV-D services under this section and in co…

Sec. 231.0012. CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT MANAGEMENT. The person appointed by the attorney general as the person responsible for managing the Title IV-D agency's child support enforcement duties shall report directly to the attorney general. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 420,…

Sec. 231.0013. DEDICATION OF FUNDS. Appropriations made to the Title IV-D agency for child support enforcement may be expended only for the purposes for which the money was appropriated. Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 420, Sec. 16, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Sec. 231.002. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The Title IV-D agency may: (1) accept, transfer, and expend funds, subject to the General Appropriations Act, made available by the federal or state government or by another public or private source for the purpose of carrying out this chapter…