C. The Effect of CBC on Courts and Court Process

Stage II of CBC requires that DFPS turn over all court-related duties to the single, lead agency who controls the catchment area so that these duties become the responsibility of the SSCC and its subcontractors. (Court-related duties include service of process, notice of hearings and significant events, preparation of court reports, appearing in court and offering testimony, engaging in discovery, preparing for trial, appearing at trial and mediation, complying with all of DFPS' current statutory duties, and complying with all court orders that would ordinarily bind DFPS will be the responsibility of the SSCC and its subcontractors). DFPS will be the party to the lawsuit, and the SSCC will act as DFPS' agent. SSCC employees will confer with and operate under an attorney-client relationship with the DFPS legal counsel, whether DFPS is represented by a regional attorney, a county attorney, or a district attorney. Records that are related to the provision of CBC in a catchment area are subject to the Public Information Act in the same manner as DFPS records.