Art. 847 Service of petition

When a case is filed against a child, the court has to give that child an official copy of the petition (the document explaining the case) along with a form that tells them about their right to a lawyer. This makes sure the child knows what's happening and understands they can have legal help.

The same papers must also go to the child's parents, as long as the court can find their address. The court is expected to make a real effort to track down the parents if their location isn't already known. This way, parents are kept informed and have the chance to get involved in the case and support their child.

If a parent's address truly can't be found even after a genuine search, the court can move forward without serving that parent. But the rule puts the burden on the court and those involved in the case to actually try to locate the parents first, rather than skipping this step.