Schools must have a representative present in court for all Failure to Attend School Cases.

If a student has a juvenile case at Gardner-Betts, contact the Juvenile Court (not the Justice of the Peace) to file a Truancy case under the Family Code. If a truant student picks up a juvenile case while a school case is pending in JP Court, notify the JP court so that the case(s) can be consolidated at Gardner-Betts.

Schools can file on a student, a single parent, or both parents at the same time

Submit original copies of both Student & Parent Complaints (if student is over 18, submit student only)

Hand-deliver ALL Complaints

File Complaints in a TIMELY manner

Appear in Court

Complaint must be notarized

The Judges require the following items be available for review at the court hearing:

• ALL identifiers (Driver's License, Date of birth, Social Security number, and current address)
• Current Attendance Reports (total days & yearly totals)
• Grades for all classes, credits earned
• Attach copy of Interventions & School Request Services Form
• Suspensions (to include in - school) and the reason
• If applicable- summer school records