85R7103 DMS-D
By: Schubert H.B. No. 4288
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a county court at law in Grimes 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 25.0951 and 25.0952 to read as follows:
Sec. 25.0951. GRIMES COUNTY. Grimes County has one
statutory county court, the County Court at Law of Grimes County.
Sec. 25.0952. GRIMES COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (a) In
addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and other
law, a county court at law in Grimes County has concurrent
jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and
proceedings.
(b) The judge of the county court at law shall be paid an
annual salary set by the commissioners court in an amount that is at
least equal to the amount that is $1,000 less than the total annual
salary, including contributions and supplements, received by a
district judge in the county. The salary shall be paid by the
county treasurer by order of the commissioners court.
(c) The judge of the county court at law is entitled to
travel expenses and necessary office expenses, including
administrative and clerical assistance, in the same manner as the
district judge.
(d) The judge of a county court at law may not engage in the
private practice of law.
(e) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at
law for family cases and proceedings, and the county clerk serves as
clerk for all other cases. The commissioners court may employ as
many deputy sheriffs and bailiffs as are necessary to serve the
court.
(f) If a case or proceeding in which a county court at law
has concurrent jurisdiction with a district court is tried before a
jury, the jury shall be composed of 12 members. In all other cases,
the jury shall be composed of six members.
(g) The judge of a county court at law may, instead of
appointing an official court reporter, contract for the services of
a court reporter under guidelines established by the commissioners
court.
(h) The laws governing the drawing, selection, service, and
pay of jurors for county courts apply to a county court at law.
Jurors regularly impaneled for a week by the district court may, on
a request of a judge of the county court at law, be made available
and shall serve for the week in a county court at law.
(i) A county court at law has the same terms of court as a
district court in Grimes County.
SECTION 2. The County Court at Law of Grimes County is
created on the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.