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Texas Legislation
Deferral of Adjudication and Dismissal of Certain Cases on Completion of Trafficked Persons Program - Texas Family Code Section 54.0326
This section applies to a juvenile court or to an alternative juvenile court exercising simultaneous jurisdiction over proceedings under this title and Subtitle E, Title 5, in the manner authorized by Section 51.0413 (Jurisdiction Over and Transfer of Combination of Proceedings).
(b) A juvenile court may defer adjudication proceedings under Section 54.03 (Adjudication Hearing) until the child’s 18th birthday and require a child to participate in a program established under Section 152.0017 (Trafficked Persons Program), Human Resources Code, if the child:
(1) is alleged to have engaged in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision and may be a victim of conduct that constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02 (Trafficking of Persons), Penal Code; and
(2) presents to the court an oral or written request to participate in the program.
(c) Following a child’s completion of the program, the court shall dismiss the case with prejudice at the time the child presents satisfactory evidence that the child successfully completed the program.