Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 45A.457 · Subchapter J. CASES INVOLVING CHILDREN
FINDING THAT OFFENSE COMMITTED.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) In this article:
(1) "Child" has the meaning assigned by Article 45A.453(a).
(2) "Parent" includes a person standing in parental relation, a managing conservator, or a custodian.
(3) "Residence" means any place where the child lives or resides for a period of not less than 30 days.
(b) On a finding by a justice or municipal court that a child committed an offense that the court has jurisdiction of under Article 4.11 or 4.14, the court has jurisdiction to enter an order:
(1) referring the child or the child's parent for services under Section 137.152, Human Resources Code;
(2) requiring that the child attend a special program that the court determines to be in the best interest of the child and, if the program involves the expenditure of municipal or county funds, that is approved by the governing body of the municipality or county commissioners court, as applicable, including a program for:
(A) rehabilitation;
(B) counseling;
(C) self-esteem and leadership;
(D) work and job skills training;
(E) job interviewing and work preparation;
(F) self-improvement;
(G) parenting;
(H) manners;
(I) violence avoidance;
(J) tutoring;
(K) sensitivity training;
(L) parental responsibility;
(M) community service;
(N) restitution;
(O) advocacy; or
(P) mentoring; or
(3) requiring that the child's parent perform any act or refrain from performing any act as the court determines will increase the likelihood that the child will comply with the orders of the court and that is reasonable and necessary for the welfare of the child, including:
(A) attend a parenting class or parental responsibility program; and
(B) attend the child's school classes or functions.
(c) The justice or municipal court may order the parent of a child required to attend a program under Subsection (b) to pay an amount not to exceed $100 for the costs of the program.
(d) A justice or municipal court may require a child or parent required to attend a program, class, or function under this article to submit proof of attendance to the court.
(e) A justice or municipal court shall endorse on the summons issued to a parent an order to appear personally at the hearing with the child. The summons must include a warning that the failure of the parent to appear is a Class C misdemeanor and may result in arrest.
(f) An order under this article involving a child is enforceable under Article 45A.461.
(g) A person commits an offense if the person is a parent who fails to attend a hearing under this article after receiving an order under Subsection (e). An offense under this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor.
(h) A child and parent required to appear before the court have an obligation to provide the child's current address and residence to the court in writing. The obligation does not end when the child reaches age 17. On or before the seventh day after the date the child or parent changes residence, the child or parent shall notify the court of the current address in the manner directed by the court. A violation of this subsection is a Class C misdemeanor and may result in arrest. The obligation to provide notice terminates on discharge and satisfaction of the judgment or a final disposition not requiring a finding of guilt.
(i) If an appellate court accepts an appeal for a trial de novo, the child and parent shall provide the notice under Subsection (h) to the appellate court.
(j) The child and parent are entitled to written notice of their obligation under Subsections (h) and (i), which may be satisfied if a copy of those subsections is delivered to the child and parent by:
(1) the court during their initial appearance before the court;
(2) a peace officer arresting and releasing a child under Article 45A.453(b) at the time of release; or
(3) a peace officer who issues a notice to appear under Section 543.003, Transportation Code, or a citation under Article 14.06(b).
(k) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under Subsection (h) that the child and parent were not informed of their obligation under this article.
(l) Any order under this article is enforceable by the justice or municipal court by contempt.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 1.001, eff. January 1, 2025.
Amended by:
Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 204 (H.B. 1620), Sec. 5.026(a), eff. September 1, 2025.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CR/htm/CR.45A.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 eac19e770e7dca8f8eaad9deb7a45994909a6adf3964c3a3451ac0be5bf7293f
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
BenchPath cards that rely on this text
- Wheeler County Juvenile Criminal Diversion Plan - Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1 (HB 3186; effective date January 1, 2025)
- JP2 Standing Orders — compilation of the standing orders of the Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Aransas County (compliance dismissals, amendment and refiling, bonds, community service, records corrections, court settings, deferred disposition, discovery, driving safety course, extensions, fines, indigent hearings, jail credit, juveniles, payment plans, recording, jury summons, records, theft, warrants, fine reductions; signed January 1, 2023)
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 4.11JURISDICTION OF JUSTICE COURTS.Printed as Article 4.11 or 4.14
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 4.14JURISDICTION OF MUNICIPAL COURT.Printed as Article 4.11 or 4.14
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 14.06MUST TAKE OFFENDER BEFORE MAGISTRATE.Printed as Article 14.06(b)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 45A.453CHILD TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.Printed as Article 45A.453(a) | Article 45A.453(b)
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 45A.461FAILURE TO PAY FINE OR APPEAR.Printed as Article 45A.461
Human Resources Code
Cited by 4 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 45A.457. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Code of Criminal Procedure
Education Code
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.