In Couch’s case, take time and get it right

Ethan Couch’s time in court is coming, however long it takes.

District Judge Timothy A. Menikos ensured that Tuesday simply by convening a hearing on whether to transfer the teenage fugitive’s case from juvenile to adult court.

Whenever Couch is returned, regardless of his age, he must appear before the judge in a hearing that’s now in a temporary recess.

Officially, Couch’s hearing was reset for Feb. 19 because a parent was not formally notified, still a legal requirement in juvenile court even though Couch is 18.

It’s not clear why the county Juvenile Services Department did not notify Fred and Tonya Couch, his parents. The work of the Juvenile Services Department has been under question at several points in this case, particularly in the delay in notifying prosecutors that Ethan Couch appeared to have left the county. Couch and his mother went to Mexico in December.

Couch will turn 19 on April 11, but he remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile judge until the case is transferred.

County officials deserve praise and our patience. This case is not moving quickly enough for anyone involved, but it is important to get everything right and meet the requirements under Texas law.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 5:36 PM with the headline "In Couch’s case, take time and get it right."