Runnels County District Court, Texas Document Filing Requirements

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Agreed order

An agreed order must bear the signatures of all parties and attorneys.

An Agreed order must be signed by all the parties and attorneys.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Agreed order

The Court must hold a hearing to address legal matters requiring testimony or a prove-up.

If there are any legal matters that require testimony or a prove up (a monitored return where the other parent does not agree on possession and access is not agreed and would require a prove up) the Court will need to hold the hearing to address those issues.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Continuance request

The difference is whether the continuance would require an extension beyond the original deadline, those will require a hearing as it will require those extraordinary findings, and a motion for extension should accompany the continuance request.

The difference is whether the continuance would require an extension beyond the original deadline, those will require a hearing as it will require those extraordinary findings, and a motion for extension should accompany the continuance request.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Witness exhibit list

Witness and exhibit lists must be filed with the Court for use in determining hearing time allotments.

These witness/exhibit lists must be filed with the Court and are relied upon when making decisions concerning time allotments during the hearing.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Exhibits

Parties must prove up exhibits during the trial or court proceeding.

The parties must still prove up any exhibits during the trial/court proceeding.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Pretrial scheduling order

A standard pre-trial scheduling order must be used.

IT IS ORDERED that a standard pre-trial scheduling order shall be utilized.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Advisement

The Advisement filed with the Court must report attempts to achieve placement within the required region.

IT IS ORDERED that DFPS/2Ingage shall file a written report (hereafter "Advisement") to the Court of the attempts to achieve placement within the above region.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Advisement

The emergency-change report must state the reason for the change, when the responsible entities were notified, and whether and when the child will return to the prior placement.

This report shall include the following: 1) the reason for the change; 2) when the CPA/Dept/2Ingage were notified of the necessity for the change: 3) if the child will be returning to the prior placement and the date of that occurrence.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Written report

After the specified three-month period, the assigned placement worker must provide the Court a written report identifying contacted placements, who contacted them, and their responses; email or fax attempts do not satisfy the requirement.

IT IS ORDERED that if a child has not been placed in their home county or within 150 miles of the Courthouse of their home county and is not in a relative/fictive kin or adoptive home after a period of three (3) months—DFPS placement or the 2Ingage "placement specialist" assigned to the child shall provide a written report to the Court that includes the following information: 1) what placements were contacted; 2) what person with personal knowledge of the child contacted the placements; and 3) the response from the placement. Emails or fax contact attempts will not be considered as complying with this requirement.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Report

A relative, kinship, or family placement that does not qualify for subsidy must be told the detailed reason, and the Court must receive a report explaining the reason and whether an exception was requested; the primary caseworker must request an exception when appropriate.

IT IS ORDERED that all relative/kinship/family placements that “do not qualify” for subsidy shall be told in detail the reason why they do not qualify and a report/advisement provided to the Court explaining the reasoning and whether a request for an exception has been made. The DFPS/2Ingage primary caseworker shall request an exception whenever appropriate.

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

Advisement

An advisement must be filed with the court immediately and include the specified information about the consent and treatment.

**IT IS ORDERED** that an advisement shall immediately be filed with the court that includes the following information (TFC §266.0042, 264.018): The validity of the consent. Medical consent to giving a psychotropic medication is valid only if: - It is given voluntarily and without undue influence and - The consenter receives information (given verbally or in writing) describing: - The specific condition to be treated. - The beneficial effects on that condition expected from the medication. - The probable health and mental health consequences of not consenting to the medication. - The probable clinically significant side effects and risks associated with the medication. - *The generally accepted alternative medications and non-pharmacological interventions to the medication*, if any, and - The reasons for the proposed course of treatment

CRITICALCivil cases

Applies to

DFPS Form 4526 Psychotropic Medication Treatment Consent

For a new psychotropic medication, DFPS Form 4526 must be completed and signed by the medical consenter and the health-care provider or designee.

When consenting to a new psychotropic medication, DFPS Form 4526 Psychotropic Medication Treatment Consent must be completed and signed by the medical consenter and the health-care provider or designee.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Written report in lieu of appearance

Written reports in lieu of appearances are not routinely accepted, but may be accepted for good cause when an emergency need is communicated to the court and the report provides information about whether the child’s needs are being met; a standard compliance form alone is insufficient.

Unless as directed by the Texas Family Code, the Court does not take written reports in lieu of appearances on a regular basis. They are accepted for good cause when the emergency need arises, it has been expressed to the court, and the report contains the information needed to ascertain whether or not the child/children are having their needs met. A standard form stating you have met with the child and complied with the code is not enough.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Agreed order

An order cannot be treated as agreed if there is an unknown or absentee parent.

If there is an unknown parent, or an absentee parent, unfortunately, that cannot be an “agreed order.”

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Witness exhibit list email

The subject line of the email should say: Court Proceeding Exhibits of (Plaintiff/Petitioner/State or Defendant/Respondent) – Cause No. ____.

The subject line of the email should say: Court Proceeding Exhibits of (Plaintiff/Petitioner/State or Defendant/Respondent) – Cause No. ____.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Witness exhibit list

Failure to follow the exhibit and witness procedures may result in limits on presenting evidence or witnesses.

Failure to follow these court procedures may result in a limitation of the presentation of evidence or witnesses.

WARNINGCivil cases

Applies to

Notice requesting meeting with child

Please file a notice requesting the meeting so that the court coordinator can arrange. When filing, please include relevant information like school, therapy, or appointment conflicts.

Please file a notice requesting the meeting so that the court coordinator can arrange. When filing, please include relevant information like school, therapy, or appointment conflicts.

INFOCivil cases

Applies to

Exhibits

Parties are encouraged to discuss agreed exhibits or stipulations before the proceeding.

The parties are encouraged to discuss any agreed exhibits or stipulations in advance of the Court proceeding.