H.B. No. 1224
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the creation of a county court at law in Wilbarger
    1-3  County.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 25.2461 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 25.2461.  WILBARGER COUNTY.  Wilbarger County has one
    1-8  statutory county court, the County Court at Law of Wilbarger
    1-9  County.
   1-10        SECTION 2.  Chapter 25, Government Code, is amended by adding
   1-11  Section 25.2462 to read as follows:
   1-12        Sec. 25.2462.  WILBARGER COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS.  (a)
   1-13  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and
   1-14  other law, a county court at law in Wilbarger County has concurrent
   1-15  jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and
   1-16  proceedings.
   1-17        (b)  A county court at law has concurrent jurisdiction with
   1-18  the justice court in all criminal matters prescribed by law for
   1-19  justice courts.  This subsection does not deny the right of appeal
   1-20  to a county court at law from a justice court in cases in which the
   1-21  right of appeal to the county court exists.
   1-22        (c)  The judge of a county court at law may not engage in the
   1-23  private practice of law.
   1-24        (d)  If the regular judge of a county court at law is absent,
    2-1  disabled, or disqualified from presiding, the presiding judge of
    2-2  the administrative judicial region in which the county is located
    2-3  may appoint a person licensed to practice law in this state to sit
    2-4  as a special judge.
    2-5        (e)  The special judge must have the same qualifications as
    2-6  the regular judge, except that the only residency requirement for a
    2-7  person who is a retired district court or county court at law judge
    2-8  is that the retired judge reside in the administrative judicial
    2-9  region.
   2-10        (f)  A special judge must take the oath of office required by
   2-11  law of the regular judge.  A special judge has all the powers and
   2-12  jurisdiction of the court and of the regular judge.  A special
   2-13  judge may sign orders, decrees, judgments, or other process as
   2-14  "Judge Presiding" when acting for the regular judge.
   2-15        (g)  A special judge is entitled to receive for services
   2-16  actually performed the same amount of compensation that the regular
   2-17  judge receives for the services.  The compensation shall be paid
   2-18  out of county funds on certification by the presiding judge of the
   2-19  administrative judicial region that the special judge has rendered
   2-20  the services and is entitled to receive the compensation.  The
   2-21  amount paid to a special judge may not be deducted or paid out of
   2-22  the salary of the regular judge.
   2-23        (h)  The county attorney and the county sheriff shall attend
   2-24  a county court at law as required by the judge.  The district clerk
   2-25  serves as clerk of a county court at law in family law cases and
   2-26  proceedings, and the county clerk serves as clerk of the court in
   2-27  all other cases and proceedings.
    3-1        (i)  The judge of a county court at law may appoint a court
    3-2  coordinator or administrative assistant.  A court coordinator or
    3-3  administrative assistant performs the duties prescribed by the
    3-4  judge and cooperates with the administrative judges and state
    3-5  agencies for the uniform and efficient operation of the courts and
    3-6  the administration of justice.  The court coordinator or
    3-7  administrative assistant is entitled to be paid from county funds
    3-8  the compensation, fees, and allowances set by the commissioners
    3-9  court or as otherwise provided by law.
   3-10        (j)  The commissioners court shall provide the deputy clerks,
   3-11  bailiffs, and other personnel necessary to operate a county court
   3-12  at law.
   3-13        (k)  A jury in a county court at law shall be composed of six
   3-14  members.
   3-15        SECTION 3.  Notwithstanding Section 25.2461, Government Code,
   3-16  as added by this Act, the County Court at Law of Wilbarger County
   3-17  is created January 1, 1994, or on an earlier date determined by the
   3-18  commissioners court by an order entered on its minutes.
   3-19        SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
   3-20  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   3-21  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   3-22  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   3-23  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.