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Remote Detention Hearing Procedures adopted under Texas Family Code § 54.012 by the 304th and 305th District Courts (the Dallas County Juvenile Courts; signed by Presiding Judge Cheryl Lee Shannon; submitted to the Office of Court Administration September 27, 2023), as registered in the statewide TOPICs local-rules registry (posted 10/07/2023): the statutory plan governing juvenile detention hearings conducted as remote proceedings — participation, confrontation-compliant camera requirements, and evidence handling.
Texas > Dallas County > 304th and 305th District Courts (juvenile detention hearings conducted remotely)
ADOPTION: "In accordance with Texas Family Code 54.012, the 304th & 305th District Courts of Dallas County, adopts the following plan to conduct detention hearings as remote proceedings" (detention hearings per Fam. Code § 54.01). PARTICIPATION: the court may, in its discretion, allow or require any party, attorney, witness, or court reporter to participate remotely, "[c]onsistent with constitutional requirements"; "The parties to the detention hearing shall have the opportunity to cross-examine any witnesses called during the hearing." CAMERA: "The camera of any party or witness who provides testimony must provide an unobstructed view … the individual can be clearly seen, identified, and heard without any barrier other than a clean camera lens. Consistent with constitutional confrontation requirements, if a party or witness is not on camera, or cannot be clearly seen, the Court will not allow the person to testify or continue to testify unless the witness complies." EVIDENCE: physical evidence "must be displayed so that the court, attorneys, parties, and witness can view it simultaneously"; digital copies (recordings, documents, images) emailed to the court and counsel before the hearing where practicable; "Physical evidence which cannot be rendered in digital form shall be tendered to the court no later than 2 days after the remote proceeding if the party offering the evidence is not present in the court when it is offered."
Reviewer note: Operative provisions quoted verbatim from the registered statutory plan; signed by Presiding Judge Cheryl Lee Shannon for the juvenile courts; custody sha256 in the registry ledger (doc 1632).
1 summarised requirement on remote appearances.
1 verbatim requirement published by Palm Beach Division DV on remote appearance policy.