•
Courts In Harris County
The Juvenile Courts hear most of the cases with CPS. Those courts are the 313th, 314th and 315th District Courts. There are also two courts which specifically hear cases involving youth in after care. Those two courts are The Child Protection Court and the Gulf Coast Children’s Court.
Process of the CPS Court Case
- CPS cases start with the filing of a petition (a legal document) and an emergency hearing in court.
- Fourteen days after that, the court hears information about why CPS should continue to be involved and why kids cannot be returned to their parents.
- The next court hearing, parents will get a list of services to help them be reunified with their children.
- After that, the court will have at least two more hearings to review the progress of the kids, parents, and case.
- The final setting is a trial and usually occurs 12 months after the case started. During the trial, a judge or a jury hears evidence and information and will decide if children can return home or if they will remain in the care of CPS.
Types of Hearings
- Emergency: this is the first hearing on a case and starts the process.
- Statutory or Adversary: hearing where court has to hear more information as to why it would be a danger to give a child back to their home
- Status: hearing where parents are given their service plan to complete
- Permanency: this hearing is a review where the court finds out how parents are doing on the services as well as children. The court will want to know if children are in therapy or if they have any needs or requests
- Special Status: any hearing that is not required by law where a lawyer is asking the court to do certain things. This can go anywhere from making sure a child has the services they need to placement with a family friend or relative.
- Trial: the final hearing on the case where the judge or jury decides if a child will remain in CPS care.
- Placement review: this hearing is after the trial and for children that remain in foster care. The court will review medication, education, and placement.
AAL vs GAL
An AAL is an abbreviation for Attorney ad Litem. That is the attorney appointed to represent children.
The GAL is the Guardian ad Litem. The GAL can be another attorney or it can be a volunteer from Child Advocates.
Who Are the People in Court and What Are Their Roles?
- Judge: listens to all the evidence and information at hearings and makes decisions on cases. Basically the boss of everything.
- Attorney Ad Litem: represents children involved in CPS cases
- Guardian Ad Litem: voices a child’s best interest
- Court Reporter: listens and types every word said at a hearing and keeps a record of it
- Court Deputy: law enforcement officer in the court to make sure everyone is safe
- Court Coordinator: is incharge of regulating zoom hearings and scheduling for the court