Sec. 54.032. DEFERRAL OF ADJUDICATION AND DISMISSAL OF CERTAIN CASES ON COMPLETION OF TEEN COURT PROGRAM. (a) A juvenile court may defer adjudication proceedings under Section 54.03 for not more than 180 days if the child:

(1) is alleged to have engaged in conduct indicating a need for supervision that violated a penal law of this state of the grade of misdemeanor that is punishable by fine only or a penal ordinance of a political subdivision of this state;

(2) waives, under Section 51.09, the privilege against self-incrimination and testifies under oath that the allegations are true;

(3) presents to the court an oral or written request to attend a teen court program; and

(4) has not successfully completed a teen court program in the two years preceding the date that the alleged conduct occurred.

(b) The teen court program must be approved by the court.

(c) A child for whom adjudication proceedings are deferred under Subsection (a) shall complete the teen court program not later than the 90th day after the date the teen court hearing to determine punishment is held or the last day of the deferral period, whichever date is earlier. The court shall dismiss the case with prejudice at the time the child presents satisfactory evidence that the child has successfully completed the teen court program.

(d) A case dismissed under this section may not be part of the child's records for any purpose.

(e) The court may require a child who requests a teen court program to pay a reimbursement fee not to exceed $10 that is set by the court to cover the costs of administering this section. The court shall deposit the fee in the county treasury of the county in which the court is located. A child who requests a teen court program and does not complete the program is not entitled to a refund of the fee.

(f) A court may transfer a case in which proceedings have been deferred as provided by this section to a court in another county if the court to which the case is transferred consents. A case may not be transferred unless it is within the jurisdiction of the court to which it is transferred.

(g) In addition to the reimbursement fee authorized by Subsection (e), the court may require a child who requests a teen court program to pay a $10 reimbursement fee to cover the cost to the teen court for performing its duties under this section. The court shall pay the fee to the teen court program, and the teen court program must account to the court for the receipt and disbursal of the fee. A child who pays a fee under this subsection is not entitled to a refund of the fee, regardless of whether the child successfully completes the teen court program.

(h) Notwithstanding Subsection (e) or (g), a juvenile court that is located in the Texas-Louisiana border region, as defined by Section 2056.002, Government Code, may charge a reimbursement fee of $20 under those subsections.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 1031, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 748, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 216, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 283, Sec. 18, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 910 (H.B. 2949), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 346), Sec. 2.42, eff. January 1, 2020.