By: Goldman (Senate Sponsor - Hancock) H.B. No. 3879
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2017;
May 10, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Business &
Commerce; May 22, 2017, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 1;
May 22, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 3879 By: Estes
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to nonlawyer representation in an appeal of an eviction
suit.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 24.011, Property Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 24.011. NONLAWYER REPRESENTATION. (a) In eviction
suits in justice court for nonpayment of rent or holding over beyond
a rental term, the parties may represent themselves or be
represented by their authorized agents, who need not be attorneys.
In any eviction suit in justice court, an authorized agent
requesting or obtaining a default judgment need not be an attorney.
(b) In an appeal of an eviction suit for nonpayment of rent
in a county or district court, the parties may represent
themselves, or a party may be represented by the party's authorized
agent, who need not be an attorney, including, if the party is a
corporation or other entity, by an employee, owner, officer, or
partner of the entity, who need not be an attorney.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an appeal taken on or after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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