Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB4741 Compare Versions

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1	1	H.B. No. 4741
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to the creation of three additional county courts at law in
6	6	Bexar County.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Section 25.0171(b), Government Code, is amended
9	9	to read as follows:
10	10	(b) Bexar County has the following county courts at law:
11	11	(1) County Court at Law No. 1 of Bexar County, Texas;
12	12	(2) County Court at Law No. 2 of Bexar County, Texas;
13	13	(3) County Court at Law No. 3 of Bexar County, Texas;
14	14	(4) County Court at Law No. 4 of Bexar County, Texas;
15	15	(5) County Court at Law No. 5 of Bexar County, Texas;
16	16	(6) County Court at Law No. 6 of Bexar County, Texas;
17	17	(7) County Court at Law No. 7 of Bexar County, Texas;
18	18	(8) County Court at Law No. 8 of Bexar County, Texas;
19	19	(9) County Court at Law No. 9 of Bexar County, Texas;
20	20	(10) County Court at Law No. 10 of Bexar County, Texas;
21	21	(11) County Court at Law No. 11 of Bexar County, Texas;
22	22	[and]
23	23	(12) County Court at Law No. 12 of Bexar County, Texas;
24	24	(13) County Court at Law No. 13 of Bexar County, Texas;
25	25	(14) County Court at Law No. 14 of Bexar County, Texas;
26	26	and
27	27	(15) County Court at Law No. 15 of Bexar County, Texas.
28	28	SECTION 2. Section 25.0172, Government Code, is amended by
29	29	adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsections (d), (l), (n),
30	30	(o), (u), and (v) to read as follows:
31	31	(c-1) The County Court at Law No. 13 of Bexar County, Texas,
32	32	shall give preference to cases prosecuted under:
33	33	(1) Section 22.01, Penal Code, in which the victim is a
34	34	person whose relationship to or association with the defendant is
35	35	described by Chapter 71, Family Code; and
36	36	(2) Section 25.07, Penal Code.
37	37	(d) The County Courts at Law Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
38	38	[and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 have six terms of court beginning on the
39	39	first Mondays in January, March, May, July, September, and
40	40	November. The County Court at Law No. 2 has six terms of court
41	41	beginning on the first Mondays in February, April, June, August,
42	42	October, and December.
43	43	(l) If the judge of the County Court at Law No. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9,
44	44	10, 11, [or] 12, 13, 14, or 15 is absent, disabled, or disqualified
45	45	from presiding, a special judge may be appointed or elected in the
46	46	manner provided by law for the appointment or election of a special
47	47	county judge. A special judge must take the oath of office required
48	48	by law for the regular judge. A special judge has the power and
49	49	jurisdiction of the court and of the regular judge for whom the
50	50	special judge is sitting and may sign orders, judgments, decrees,
51	51	and other process of any kind as "Judge Presiding." A special judge
52	52	is entitled to receive for services performed the same amount of
53	53	compensation as the regular judge, to be paid out of county funds.
54	54	The compensation paid a special judge may not be deducted from the
55	55	salary of the regular judge.
56	56	(n) The criminal district attorney shall attend the County
57	57	Court at Law No. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, [or] 12, 13, 14, or 15 as
58	58	required by the judge. The criminal district attorney serves the
59	59	county courts at law as provided by Section 25.0010(b).
60	60	(o) The judge of the County Court at Law No. 4 or 6 may
61	61	appoint a court coordinator or administrative assistant for the
62	62	court. The judge of the County Court at Law No. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
63	63	[or] 12, 13, 14, or 15 may, with the approval of the commissioners
64	64	court, appoint a court coordinator or administrative assistant for
65	65	the court. A court coordinator or administrative assistant
66	66	performs the duties prescribed by the judge and cooperates with the
67	67	administrative judges and state agencies for the uniform and
68	68	efficient operation of the courts and the administration of
69	69	justice. The court coordinator or administrative assistant is
70	70	entitled to be paid from county funds the compensation, fees, and
71	71	allowances that are set by the commissioners court or as otherwise
72	72	provided by law. These provisions are in addition to the provisions
73	73	in Subchapter F, Chapter 75.
74	74	(u) The official court reporter of a county court at law is
75	75	entitled to receive an annual salary set by the judge and approved
76	76	by the commissioners court at an amount not less than $35,256. The
77	77	official court reporter's fee shall be taxed as costs in civil
78	78	actions in County Courts at Law Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
79	79	[and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 in the same manner as that fee is taxed in
80	80	district court. In County Court at Law No. 2, the clerk collects
81	81	the official court reporters' fee of $3 and pays it into the county
82	82	treasury in the same manner as district clerks are required to
83	83	collect and pay costs.
84	84	(v) Section 25.0006(a) does not apply to County Courts at
85	85	Law Nos. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, [and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 of Bexar
86	86	County. Section 25.0006(b) does not apply to County Courts at Law
87	87	Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, [and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 of Bexar
88	88	County.
89	89	SECTION 3. The County Courts at Law Nos. 13, 14, and 15 of
90	90	Bexar County, Texas, are created September 1, 2009.
91	91	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
92	92	______________________________ ______________________________
93	93	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
94	94	I certify that H.B. No. 4741 was passed by the House on May
95	95	15, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not
96	96	voting.
97	97	______________________________
98	98	Chief Clerk of the House
99	99	I certify that H.B. No. 4741 was passed by the Senate on May
100	100	27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
101	101	______________________________
102	102	Secretary of the Senate
103	103	APPROVED: _____________________
104	104	Date
105	105	_____________________
106	106	Governor