This section requires a preliminary juvenile investigation, notice to the child’s parent or custodian in some cases, referral of certain cases to support services, prompt forwarding of some serious cases to the prosecutor, and registration of any alternative referral plan.
Sec. 53.01. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION AND DETERMINATIONS; NOTICE TO PARENTS. (a) On referral of a person believed to be a child or on referral of the person's case to the office or official designated by the juvenile board, the intake officer, probation officer, or other person authorized by the board shall conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether: (1) the person referred to juvenile court is a child within the meaning of this title; and (2) there is probable cause to believe the person: (A) engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision; or (B) is a nonoffender who has been taken into custody and is being held solely for deportation out of the United States. (b) If it is determined that the person is not a child or there is no probable cause, the person shall immediately be released. (b-1) The person who is conducting the preliminary investigation shall, as appropriate, refer the child's case to a community resource coordination group, a local-level interagency staffing group, or other community juvenile service provider for services under Section 53.011, if the person determines that: (1) there is probable cause to believe the child engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision; (2) the child's case does not require referral to the prosecuting attorney under Subsection (d) or (f); (3) the child is eligible for deferred prosecution under Section 53.03; and (4) the child: (A) is younger than 12 years of age, and the child and the child's family are not currently receiving services under Section 53.011 and would benefit from receiving the services; or (B) resides in a general residential operation, as that term is defined by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code. (c) When custody of a child is given to the office or official designated by the juvenile board, the intake officer, probation officer, or other person authorized by the board shall promptly give notice of the whereabouts of the child and a statement of the reason the child was taken into custody to the child's parent, guardian, or custodian unless the notice given under Section 52.02(b) provided fair notice of the child's present whereabouts. (d) Unless the juvenile board approves a written procedure proposed by the office of prosecuting attorney and chief juvenile probation officer which provides otherwise, if it is determined that the person is a child and, regardless of a finding of probable cause, or a lack thereof, there is an allegation that the child engaged in delinquent conduct of the grade of felony, or conduct constituting a misdemeanor offense involving violence to a person or the use or possession of a firearm, location-restricted knife, or club, as those terms are defined by Section 46.01, Penal Code, or prohibited weapon, as described by Section 46.05, Penal Code, the case shall be promptly forwarded to the office of the prosecuting attorney, accompanied by: (1) all documents that accompanied the current referral; and (2) a summary of all prior referrals of the child to the juvenile court, juvenile probation department, or a detention facility. (e) If a juvenile board adopts an alternative referral plan under Subsection (d), the board shall register the plan with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. (f) A juvenile board may not adopt an alternate referral plan that does not require the forwarding of a child's case to the prosecuting attorney as provided by Subsection (d) if probable cause exists to believe that the child engaged in delinquent conduct that violates Section 19.03, Penal Code (capital murder), or Section 19.02, Penal Code (murder). Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 1460, ch. 544, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1973. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 262, Sec. 21, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1374, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1297, Sec. 18, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 283, Sec. 12, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 734 (H.B. 1549), Sec. 47, eff. September 1, 2015. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 698 (H.B. 1204), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1049 (H.B. 1935), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 7 (H.B. 16), Sec. 10.06, eff. December 4, 2025.