Dual Status Youth are defined in Texas Family Code as youth involved in both the CPS and Juvenile Justice systems at the same time. In 2021, the Texas Family Code was updated to allow the Juvenile Court to appoint the GAL appointed in the SAPCR case to ALSO serve as GAL for the child in the juvenile court proceedings. Essentially creating two separate appointments as GAL, one for each court system. The JJS are not mandatory GAL appointments, like in the CPS court. This FAQ covers the definition of Dual Status, the powers and rights of a GAL appointed in the Juvenile Justice system, and what CASA advocacy can look like for a youth who is considered Dual Status.
