Judge Stacey M. Cobb Smith

The Court may extend the discovery deadline for good cause shown.

A disposition hearing for a detained or community-detained respondent may be postponed if the court finds good cause.

Postponement motions for adjudicatory hearings beyond statutory deadlines may be granted only upon a showing of extraordinary cause, and ordinary scheduling conflicts generally do not qualify.

The arraignment must be scheduled within 14 days after the delinquency petition is filed.

After DJS intake authorization of detention, community detention, or shelter care, the SAO must immediately file a petition requesting continuation.

The Detention/Shelter Care Hearing must occur no later than the next court session day after DJS authorizes detention.

Applies to

Line of appearance

Counsel must file a line of appearance with the Clerk’s Office before the arraignment can be removed from the calendar.

Applies to

Motion

Must include

proposed order

In CINA cases, the filing attorney should coordinate the date with the magistrate and all counsel and include the date and time on the proposed order.

Applies to

Complaint

A family case is initiated by filing a complaint with the Circuit Court Clerk’s Office, and most family complaints must include the completed Domestic Case Information Form.

Applies to

CINA petition

Service

Mail

When a CINA petition is filed without a shelter care request, the Clerk’s Office must mail summons to the parent, guardian, or custodian and prepare an appointment order for the child’s counsel.

The summons must be served within 60 days and, together with the original complaint, delivered by certified mail with restricted delivery receipt, private process, or the sheriff.

An Affidavit of Service, using forms CC-DR-55 or CC-DR-56, must be filed.