Juvenile Diversion Plan

The Fort Bend County Justice Court- Precinct 2, Place 2, through its Juvenile Diversion Plan, provides an alternative to formal criminal prosecution for youth charged with fine-only misdemeanors. The effective date of the Juvenile Diversion Plan is January 1, 2025. Diversion provides an alternative to formal criminal prosecution for youth charged with non-traffic, fine-only misdemeanors. This initiative focuses on early intervention and accountability through tailored strategies such as educational programs, mental health screenings, community service, and mentoring. By prioritizing the "best interests of the child" and community safety, the plan allows eligible youth to complete a diversion agreement—typically lasting up to 180 days—to avoid criminal prosecution of the alleged charge and ensure the automatic expungement of records upon their 18th birthday. This restorative approach empowers Fort Bend County families by providing resources for self-improvement and rehabilitation while preventing a permanent criminal record for minor offenses.

Download Plan [PDF]

Frequently Asked Questions

Click on a question below to expand the section and find detailed information regarding eligibility, program requirements, and the diversion process as outlined in the official Youth Diversion Plan.

The purpose of a Youth Diversion Plan is to protect and preserve the interests of Texas youth who have violated the law by providing interventions and strategies designed to assist the youth and to keep his/her record clean.

A youth diversion coordinator with the Fort Bend Juvenile Probation Department or the Fort Bend Justice Court will be assigned to assist with the process.

The youth must be 17 years of age or younger at the time of the alleged criminal/non-traffic offense and shall not have had a prior unsuccessful Diversion Plan. The youth must not have signed a Diversion Agreement within 12 months prior to the commencement of a new Agreement.

The Youth Diversion Plan is designed to provide strategies, services and other helpful assistance to our youth in the hopes of averting further interactions with the legal system. All plans will be specific to the individual youth and their circumstances. The Youth will enter into a written agreement which must be signed by the youth and the parent. The Agreement is not an admission of guilt and a plea is not required. Participation in the Plan is voluntary and the child/parent has the right to refuse to participate in the Plan.

Upon the execution of the Agreement, the Court will divert the case and no further action will be taken to prosecute the charge while the youth is in the Plan. The duration of the Plan will be set for a specific time and will not exceed 180 days.

If the youth does not comply with the terms of the Agreement, the Court will hold a hearing with the child and the parent to determine if the child had good cause for the non-compliance. The Court can then set aside some or all of the requirements of the Agreement, amend the Agreement, extend the period of the diversion for a scheduled hearing for up to 60 days, and make a determination that the diversion was successful or unsuccessful. An unsuccessful completion of the Plan may result in the case being referred for prosecution.

Plan strategies and interventions include, but are not limited to:
  • Educational/scholastic programs and teen court programs.
  • Intervention and/or prevention programs for alcohol, drug, or tobacco use.
  • Rehab therapy and self-improvement programs.
  • Referring the youth to a service provider addressing at-risk youth services or juvenile case manager services.
  • Work and job skills training and academic monitoring and/or tutoring including GED prep.
  • Community-based services, mental health screening and/or clinical assessment.
  • Private or in-school counseling and mentoring services.
  • Ordering the child to pay restitution on property offenses not to exceed $100.
  • Ordering the child to perform community service up to 20 hours.
  • Ordering the child and/or parent to perform any other reasonable action.

A successful completion of the Agreement will bar the charges leveled against the youth being revived and prosecuted. The records associated with the youth will be automatically expunged when the youth turns 18 years of age. The Youth Diversion Coordinators shall maintain records on all Plans for three years and shall keep a permanent file on all successful and unsuccessful Plans.

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