82R5625 YDB-D
By: Lozano H.B. No. 948
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a county court at law in Willacy County.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Government Code, is
amended by adding Sections 25.2471 and 25.2472 to read as follows:
Sec. 25.2471. WILLACY COUNTY. Willacy County has one
statutory county court, the County Court at Law of Willacy County.
Sec. 25.2472. WILLACY COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (a)
In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and
other law, and except as limited by Subsection (b), a county court
at law in Willacy County has concurrent jurisdiction with the
district court in:
(1) felony cases to:
(A) conduct arraignments;
(B) conduct pretrial hearings;
(C) accept guilty pleas; and
(D) conduct jury trials on assignment of a
district judge presiding in Willacy County and acceptance of the
assignment by the judge of the county court at law;
(2) Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases;
(3) family law matters;
(4) juvenile matters;
(5) probate matters; and
(6) appeals from the justice and municipal courts.
(b) A county court at law does not have general supervisory
control or appellate review of the commissioners court or
jurisdiction of:
(1) suits on behalf of this state to recover penalties
or escheated property;
(2) felony cases involving capital murder;
(3) misdemeanors involving official misconduct; or
(4) contested elections.
(c) The judge of a county court at law must have the same
qualifications as those required by law for a district judge.
(d) The judge of a county court at law shall be paid a total
annual salary set by the commissioners court at an amount that is
not less than $1,000 less than the total annual salary received by a
district judge in the county. A district judge's or statutory
county court judge's total annual salary does not include
contributions and supplements paid by a county.
(e) The judge of a county court at law may not engage in the
private practice of law.
(f) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at
law in matters of concurrent jurisdiction with the district court,
and the county clerk shall serve as clerk of a county court at law in
all other matters. Each clerk shall establish a separate docket for
a county court at law.
(g) The official court reporter of a county court at law is
entitled to receive a salary set by the judge of the county court at
law with the approval of the commissioners court.
(h) Jurors summoned for a county court at law or a district
court in the county may by order of the judge of the court to which
they are summoned be transferred to another court for service and
may be used as if summoned for the court to which they are
transferred.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 25.2471, Government
Code, as added by this Act, the County Court at Law of Willacy
County is created January 1, 2013, or on an earlier date determined
by the Commissioners Court of Willacy County by an order entered in
its minutes.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.