Resources
Collin County Low Income Transit Subsidy Program – if you lack transportation, you may qualify for this taxi voucher program
Collin County Community Resource List from Texas Workforce Solutions
FindHelp.org – search for free or reduced-cost services like medical care, food, job training, and more
List of CPS acronyms
Texas Legal Services Center Family Helpline – ask a lawyer any Child Protective Services related questions. All calls are anonymous. 844-888-6565
Court-Appointed Attorneys for Parents and Affidavits of Indigence
Temporary Initial Appointment – The court appoints attorneys for parents on an ex parte basis pursuant to Tex. Fam. Code § 107.0141. This initial appointment ends at the adversary hearing.
Indigent Parent – If the parent files an affidavit of indigence and qualifies, the attorney will be reappointed to represent the indigent parent.
Affidavit of Indigence (English)
Acuerdo de Indigencia (Spanish)
Non-Indigent Parent – If the parent does not file an affidavit of indigence or does not qualify as indigent, the attorney will be discharged at the 14-day adversary hearing. The parent is free to make arrangements to privately retain the attorney.
Alleged Father – an attorney appointed to represent an alleged father is only required to perform the duties described in Tex. Fam. Code § 107.0132. If the alleged father is located, files an affidavit of indigence, and qualifies, the attorney will be reappointed to represent him. Otherwise the attorney must submit the report required by 107.0132(d) and be discharged. The attorney will be discharged at the status hearing unless the alleged father has qualified as indigent.
Publication or Unknown Identity/Location – an attorney appointed to represent a parent whose identity or location is unknown or who has been served by citation by publication is only required to perform the duties described in Tex. Fam. Code § 107.014. If the parent is located, files an affidavit of indigence, and qualifies, the attorney will be reappointed to represent him/her. Otherwise the attorney must submit the report required by 107.014(e) and be discharged. The attorney will be discharged at the status hearing unless the parent has qualified as indigent.
Billing, Pay Sheets, and Reimbursements
The fee schedule for court-appointed CPS cases of the Collin County CPS judges is contained within the Fair Defense Plan for felony cases, available here (revised 11/1/2021). You are welcome to email pay sheets to the court at 470@co.collin.tx.us using the electronic PDF paysheet form (revised 11/1/2021).
If you would like to receive payments via direct deposit, please fill out this form and deliver it to the Collin County Auditor’s Office.
Application for Appointment as an attorney or mediator in CPS cases.
E-Filing
The waiver account must be used for e-filing.
If you are an attorney of record, and you have questions about “locked” pleadings, please contact the 470th District Court clerks – 972-548-4211 or 972-548-4213.
Scheduling
At the initial hearing, we will schedule the trial and all future settings in the case.
This Excel spreadsheet may help calculate deadlines in CPS cases. This spreadsheet is merely a resource and is not legal advice or a court order. Use at your own risk!
Please ensure that whoever attends the initial hearing has access to the calendar(s) of the attorneys/parties that will be attending future hearing and trial settings.
If you expect a hearing to be contested, we appreciate if you let us know by email as soon as possible, to help us plan.
If an attorney represents a party that has not yet been served, that attorney may contact the court in advance to ask to attend by Zoom at a scheduled hearing.
Time Limits
The court imposes time limits on all cases, including CPS cases. Please prepare in advance an estimate of the minutes needed for your side and be prepared to explain why that amount of time is appropriate and necessary.
Example – Contested Hearing – A contested 14-day adversary hearing or permanency hearing might allocate 30 minutes for the Department, 15 minutes for the child’s attorney ad litem, and 20 minutes for each parent. This allocation of time would likely result in a hearing lasting about 2 ½ hours, so please plan accordingly.
Example – Default Final Trial – The court estimates that a default final trial will take about a half day, and the court might allocate 1 hour for the Department, 40 minutes for each parent, and 20 minutes for the child’s attorney ad litem. If you believe more time is needed, please contact the court in advance.
Parties may not trade/give/take minutes from other parties.
Court’s Checklists
Checklist – 14-Day Adversary Hearing
Checklist – Status Hearing
Checklist – Permanency Hearing
Checklist – Permanency Hearing – PMC
Child Must Attend Permanency Hearings
Each child over age 4 must attend each permanency hearing. See Fam. Code § 263.302.
If there is a safety or security concern, please contact the bailiff in advance – Kris Lea, 470@co.collin.tx.us, 972-548-5671