Art. 669 Physical and mental examination for disposition

After a child's case has reached the adjudication stage (meaning the court has already decided what happened), the judge can order physical and mental exams for the child and the parents. These exams help the court figure out what should happen next, like what kind of treatment, placement, or services the child and family might need.

The judge can also require parents to help pay for these exams. But before making parents pay, the court has to give them a chance to speak up first. The amount parents are asked to pay depends on what they can actually afford, so someone with less money would pay less than someone who can afford more.