A. The court shall require the parent to appear in person to answer the petition within fifteen days after the filing of the petition.
B. The court may also permit the parent to consent to judgment in accordance with Article 1025.2 or execute a surrender for adoption in accordance with Article 1122.
C. At the appearance the court may either convene immediately the pre-hearing conference required by Article 1025.4 or set a date for the conference.
Acts 1997, No. 256, §1.