Cameron County to host Child Protection Court

BROWNSVILLE - Cameron County will be the new host for a Child Protection Court to serve abused and neglected children of Cameron and Willacy counties.

County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved office space for a judge and his staff to address cases related to child abuse and neglect in the two counties.

Willacy County officials will be asked to provide similar accommodations.

"These are children that some parents do not love or take care of, and when that happens the government in some form has to step in," said State District Judge J. Manuel Banales, of Corpus Christi, who asked Commissioners Court for approval.

Banales also serves as the presiding judge over the Fifth Administrative Judicial Region that includes the Rio Grande Valley.

An additional Child Protection Court will alleviate the number of cases on the docket for the CPC in Hidalgo County, which handles cases from Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Starr and Jim Hogg counties, Banales said.

Furthermore, a host court in Cameron County would relieve congestion to dockets in the county's state district courts that hear not only child abuse and child neglect cases, but also civil and other criminal cases.

The county has six state district courts and will get two more next year.

"The district courts are very busy....unfortunately some courts do not give these child cases the time, attention and importance that they require," Banales said. "These are our most important cases."

By opening CPC's, the cases are getting the attention they deserve and judges who have the expertise to handle such cases, Banales said.

State District Judge Benjamin Euresti Jr. said the central jury room is currently used to hold hearings pertaining to child neglect and child support cases and reminded commissioners of the shortage of courtrooms in the county.

Euresti said the county will be dealing with court construction within the next six to 12 months and it is possible that office space for the CPC will be found.

The CPC is set to be in operation Sept. 1. Banales will make the appointment to the judgeship in August.

The state of Texas will reportedly pay the judge and his staff salaries and benefits. Cameron County will be responsible for the office and courtroom space, computer systems and providing a court reporter when necessary.

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