Local justice of the peace outlines truancy court process as district filings rise

Judge Christopher Gregory, justice of the peace for Tarrant County Precinct 4, told the Eagle Mountain‑Saginaw ISD board that truancy enforcement is now civil, emphasizes compliance and that schools must document prevention steps before filing. He outlined required documentation for petitions, the collaborative workflow with schools including attendance monitoring and counseling, and the court’s remedial orders (attendance orders, counseling, community service) typically lasting six months.

Gregory also discussed parental contributing nonattendance — a separate class C misdemeanor charge — explaining fines start at about $197 and escalate on repeat filings, and urged school officials to keep careful records. He said address verification problems delay service and slow cases; he recommended earlier, accurate address capture at enrollment to avoid returned citations.

The judge provided district‑level numbers showing substantial growth in filings: total filings across partner school districts were 365 in 2023 (147 for Eagle Mountain ISD), 359 in 2024 (81 for the district), and 403 in 2025 with 156 filings from Eagle Mountain ISD and 45 parent‑contributing cases. He said 13 contempt hearings were called back this year and that finalized cases remain a subset because orders are monitored for six months.

District leaders and trustees thanked the court for partnership and said they would coordinate on prevention, documentation and communication practices to reduce later legal intervention.