M. Catherine Callaway, Esq.
Court Referee
Twenty-third Judicial Circuit
Madison County, Alabama
ALABAMA RULES OF JUVENILE PROCEDURE
Rule 2.1.
Referees.
Rule 2.1.
Referees.
Cases handled by referees. The presiding judge of the juvenile court may direct that the referee handle various kinds of juvenile and/or child-support cases unless:
(1) The referee has agreed to hear certain juvenile and/or child-support cases pursuant to an agreement or a contract;
or
(2) The hearing in a particular case is one to determine whether the case will be transferred for criminal prosecution; or
(3) The hearing involves the termination of parental rights;
or
(4) A party objects to a hearing being held by a referee.
Duties of referees.
Referees are authorized to perform one or more of the following duties in juvenile and/or child-support cases:
(1) Take testimony in hearings;
(2) Evaluate evidence and make findings of fact and recommendations to determine paternity and to establish and enforce child-support orders;
(3) Accept voluntary acknowledgments of child-support liability or paternity and stipulated agreements setting the amount of child support to be paid;
(4) Prepare a default order upon a showing that process
(5) Order genetic tests in contested paternity cases without the necessity of obtaining an order from a judge;
(6) Enter orders relating to the administration of the docket of the court to which the referee is assigned without the necessity of obtaining a signature of a judge; and
(7) Such other duties as authorized by law or rule.
(1) The referee has agreed to hear certain juvenile and/or child-support cases pursuant to an agreement or a contract;
or
(2) The hearing in a particular case is one to determine whether the case will be transferred for criminal prosecution; or
(3) The hearing involves the termination of parental rights;
or
(4) A party objects to a hearing being held by a referee.
Duties of referees.
Referees are authorized to perform one or more of the following duties in juvenile and/or child-support cases:
(1) Take testimony in hearings;
(2) Evaluate evidence and make findings of fact and recommendations to determine paternity and to establish and enforce child-support orders;
(3) Accept voluntary acknowledgments of child-support liability or paternity and stipulated agreements setting the amount of child support to be paid;
(4) Prepare a default order upon a showing that process
(5) Order genetic tests in contested paternity cases without the necessity of obtaining an order from a judge;
(6) Enter orders relating to the administration of the docket of the court to which the referee is assigned without the necessity of obtaining a signature of a judge; and
(7) Such other duties as authorized by law or rule.