Relating to the transfer of court files in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship in which continuing, exclusive jurisdiction is transferred.

Contracts

• Client Engagement Letters: Update agreements to reflect that venue transfers now require a substantive "file audit." This is no longer a passive administrative task but a billable legal review to determine which historical documents are material for the new venue.

Hiring/Training

• Paralegal Training: Staff responsible for drafting orders must be retrained. They can no longer rely on the clerk to "send the file." They must be trained to audit the case history and identify essential non-pleading documents (e.g., psychological evaluations, amicus reports, evidentiary exhibits).
• Attorney Oversight: Implement a mandatory sign-off protocol where the lead attorney verifies the list of documents to be transferred to prevent malpractice exposure.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Template Updates: Revise your standard *Order to Transfer Continuing, Exclusive Jurisdiction*. The template must now include a specific section or attachment listing documents to be transferred under Section 155.207(a)(4).
• Checklists: Create a "Pre-Transfer Audit Checklist" to ensure critical historical data (specifically protective orders or temporary orders not yet final) are not left behind in the originating county.

Fees & Costs

• Transfer Fees: Anticipate a reduction in per-page transfer fees charged by clerks, as the volume of data transferred will decrease.
• Billable Hours: Anticipate a slight increase in billable time required to prepare the Transfer Order due to the file audit requirement.