(AUSTIN) KXAN — A KXAN Investigation into Travis County’s child protective courts has won the 2015 Texas Gavel Award from the State Bar of Texas, which recognizes “journalistic excellence that fosters public understanding of the legal system.”

The winning entry in the “Broadcast, Major Metro” category was “7 Minutes to Live: Crisis in Child Protective Services Courts,” told by KXAN’s Sally Hernandez, Josh Hinkle and Mark Batchelder. Last fall, this investigation revealed Travis County judges spend fewer than 10 minutes on cases involving abused and neglected children, while the national recommendation by the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges is 30-60 minutes per CPS hearing.

This same investigation placed second in the “General Assignment” category in this year’s Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Awards competition.

The winners will be honored during an awards luncheon in September at the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas (FOIFT) annual conference in Austin.