Filing Instructions

Front of file should have case name, last name only.

Section I.—Inside Front Cover

  • Petition and any Amended Petitions on top
  • Order of Appointment on bottom
  • Face Sheet

Section II.—Court Orders

  • Protective custody order
  • Findings and Recommendations
  • Capias’
  • Any order that states “Prior Orders Terminated”
  • Any order which makes any change to a previous order – in regards to services for parents/child(ren), visitation, placement, permanency plan, etc.

Section III.—Other CD

  • Correspondence from Children’s Division
  • Child Assessment and Service Plan (CS-1, form from Family Support Team meetings)
  • Any relative or kinship home studies
  • Selected adoptive family home study
  • Selected guardianship home study
  • Hotlines and MR reports
  • ICPC information

Section IV.—CD Court Reports

  • Court reports prepared by the Children’s Division – including Protective Custody Assessment and Drug Court Reports
    • Any reports which are attached to the court report should be removed, labeled with the date of the hearing and placed in the appropriate section in the file after the hearing.

Section V.—CASA Notes

  • Certificate of Acceptance
  • Any case related notes
  • Correspondence from CASA to other parties involved in case
  • CASA monthly updates

Section VI.—Psychological Evaluations

  • Psychological evaluations – for all family members

Section VII.—Child Services

  • Reports from service providers regarding the child(ren) – to include but not limited to:
    • Individual therapy reports
    • School report cards
    • Mentoring reports
    • Medical records (if the medical records are to large to put in the file, then put them in manila folder, label as medical records and keep with the file in the file cabinet)
    • Residential facility reports
    • Treatment review reports
    • Police reports
    • Psychiatric reports

Section VIII.—Parent Services

  • Reports from services providers regarding the parent(s) – to include but not limited to:
    • Individual therapy reports
    • Family therapy reports
    • Parent aide reports
    • Police reports
    • Urinalysis reports
    • Medical records
    • Psychiatric reports

Section IX.—Other Legal

  • Motions to the court
  • Orders Resetting Cause
  • Orders Continuing Cause
  • Notice of Court Hearing
  • Correspondence from attorneys appointed to the parent(s)
  • Any order that does NOT make a change to the previous order regarding services for parent(s)/child(ren), visitation, placement, permanency plan, etc.
  • Memorandum from court indicating adoption petitions which have been filed
  • Petition for adoption
  • Any other legal document which is not a court order
  • Mediation reports

Section X. Inside Back Cover

  • Attorneys hearing forms
  • Supervisor will place 10 copies of form in this section (S:

Filing Instructions for TPR Files

  1. Using a manila file folder, two hole punch the back side of the folder and secure metal bracket through holes
  2. Looking at folder horizontally, write the child(ren)’s TR number in the outside left corner of the folder
  3. Write the last name of the children on the tab of folder
  4. Place all TPR related material in folder in the order it is received – do NOT remove attachments from court reports
  5. If more than one volume is needed, write volume number below child(ren)’s TR number

**This is for Supervisory staff only. Volunteers are not expected to maintain a separate TR file.