BILL ANALYSIS
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Under current law, a notice of appeal to appeal a report by an associate judge must be filed no later than the third day after the date the party receives notice of substance of the associate judge's report in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. Many practicing attorneys have brought attention to the fact that all three days may fall on days when a courthouse may be inaccessible.
To ensure courthouses will be available to parties who may want to appeal, C.S.H.B.1995 lengthens the amount of time to file an appeal from the third day to the seventh working day after notice of the substance of the associate judge's report.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
Amends Section 201.015(a) of the Family Code by increasing the filing time for a notice of appeal from no later than the third day to no later than the seventh working day after the date the party receives notice of the substance of the associate judge's report.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
C.S.H.B.1995 modifies the original H.B.1995 by adding the word "working" to the substitute bill.