Art. 747 Time for filing of petition; child in custody

When a child is kept in custody before their case is fully decided, the state has a deadline to act. If the child stays in custody after the hearing that decided whether custody should continue, the state must file a formal petition asking the court to declare the family in need of services. This petition has to be filed within 30 days of that custody hearing.

The court can give more time if there's a good reason. Someone has to ask for the extension and explain why it's needed, and the judge has to agree before the deadline gets pushed back.

If nobody files the petition in time, and no extension was granted, the child must be sent back to the parent. This rule makes sure the state can't keep a child away from their parent indefinitely without taking real legal action and explaining why to a judge.