This section requires continued court-appointed representation in certain child-welfare cases and lets the order continue both ad litem appointments in some cases.
Sec. 107.016. CONTINUED REPRESENTATION; DURATION OF APPOINTMENT. In a suit filed by a governmental entity in which termination of the parent-child relationship or appointment of the entity as conservator of the child is requested: (1) an order appointing the Department of Family and Protective Services as the child's managing conservator: (A) shall provide for the continuation of the appointment of the guardian ad litem or the attorney ad litem for the child, or an attorney appointed to serve in the dual role, as long as the child remains in the conservatorship of the department; and (B) may provide for the continuation of the appointment of both the attorney ad litem and the guardian ad litem for the child if both have been appointed, as long as the child remains in the conservatorship of the department; and (2) an attorney appointed under this subchapter to serve as an attorney ad litem for a parent or an alleged father continues to serve in that capacity until the earliest of: (A) the date the suit affecting the parent-child relationship is dismissed; (B) the date all appeals in relation to any final order terminating parental rights are exhausted or waived; or (C) the date the attorney is relieved of the attorney's duties or replaced by another attorney after a finding of good cause is rendered by the court on the record. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 751, Sec. 15, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 575, Sec. 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 262, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 75 (H.B. 906), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 317 (H.B. 7), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 801 (H.B. 1315), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021.