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House Bill 3554 |
House Author: Bonnen |
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Effective: 6-19-09 |
Senate Sponsor: Jackson, Mike |
House Bill 3554 amends the Government Code to authorize the judge of a district court in Brazoria County to appoint one or more associate judges, who have the same judicial immunity as a district judge, to perform the duties and exercise the powers prescribed for an associate judge in that county, a magistrate for a drug court program, and an associate judge in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship. The bill sets forth the proceedings that a Brazoria County district court judge may refer to an associate judge and prohibits an associate judge from presiding over a criminal trial on the merits.
House Bill 3554 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to add an associate judge appointed under the above provisions to the list of officers who are magistrates within the meaning of that code.