Juvenile Determinate Sentencing in Texas (Audio Only)

The laws concerning juvenile delinquency in Texas are found in a hybrid of the Texas Penal Code and Title 3 of the Texas Family Code. The Family Code governs the procedural aspects of delinquency cases while the Penal Code governs the specific offenses which are unlawful. The Family Code sets out two ultimate ways to resolve cases on a formal basis. These would be indeterminate sentence cases and determinate sentence cases. Cases can also be transferred to an adult district court (commonly referred to as certification) but that is not an ultimate resolution it is simply transferring the case from juvenile to adult court. This course will focus on determinate sentence cases, the most serious cases handled in juvenile court.

Join attorney Chris Allen from the Law Offices of Chris Allen and Bill Pattillo as he discusses what juvenile practitioners need to know to effectively navigate the nuances of determinate sentence cases in Texas whether it be from the angle of a prosecutor or a defense attorney.

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine the “ins and outs” of Section 53.045 of the Texas Family and its relation to other relevant statutes in the Family Code
2. Explore the immediate effects of a determinate sentence to your client
3. Discuss possible strategies as a defense attorney to avoid a determinate sentence
4. Review determinate sentences as they relate to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD)
5. Analyze the long term effects of a determinate sentence to your client