81R10847 YDB-F
By: Ellis S.B. No. 2217
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of an additional judicial district
composed of Harris County and the preference given by the district
court to domestic violence cases.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 24.60020 to read as follows:
Sec. 24.60020. 476TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). (a)
The 476th Judicial District is composed of Harris County.
(b) Subject to any jurisdictional limitations, the 476th
District Court shall give preference to:
(1) domestic violence cases, including cases
involving:
(A) dating violence, as defined by Section
71.0021, Family Code;
(B) family violence, as defined by Section
71.004, Family Code;
(C) abuse or neglect, as defined by Section
261.001, Family Code, of a child; or
(D) elder abuse;
(2) any matter in which pleadings are filed
concurrently with an application for a protective order under Title
4, Family Code, that involves both parties;
(3) any matter involving minor children if one parent
is alleged to have caused the death of another parent and there is a
history of domestic violence in the parents' relationship; and
(4) cases in which:
(A) a court has made an affirmative finding of
family violence involving both parties; or
(B) a protective order has been issued under
Title 4, Family Code, involving both parties.
(c) The 476th District Court shall:
(1) provide timely and efficient access to emergency
protective orders and other court remedies for persons the court
determines are victims of domestic violence;
(2) integrate victims' services for persons the court
determines are victims of domestic violence who have a case before
the court; and
(3) promote an informed and consistent court response
to domestic violence cases to lessen the number of misdemeanors,
felonies, and fatalities related to domestic violence in Harris
County.
(d) The clerk for the 476th District Court shall create a
form to transfer a domestic violence case that the 476th District
Court is required to give preference to under this section to the
476th District Court.
SECTION 2. The 476th Judicial District is created on the
effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.