Sec. 201.014.  JUDICIAL ACTION ON ASSOCIATE JUDGE'S PROPOSED ORDER OR JUDGMENT.  (a)  Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, unless a party files a written request for a de novo hearing before the referring court, the referring court may:
(1)  adopt, modify, or reject the associate judge's proposed order or judgment;
(2)  hear further evidence; or
(3)  recommit the matter to the associate judge for further proceedings.
(b)  Regardless of whether a party files a written request for a de novo hearing before the referring court, a proposed order or judgment rendered by an associate judge in a suit filed by the Department of Family and Protective Services that meets the requirements of Section 263.401(d) is considered a final order for purposes of Section 263.401.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 20, Sec. 1, eff. April 20, 1995.  Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1302, Sec. 9, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.
Amended by: 
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1235 (H.B. 2501), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 279 (H.B. 2927), Sec. 3, eff. May 29, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 912 (S.B. 1329), Sec. 1.03(c), eff. September 1, 2017.