By Zbranek H.B. No. 2046
74R7376 MWV-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the qualifications of a district court judge.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 24.001, Government Code, is amended to
1-5 read as follows:
1-6 Sec. 24.001. QUALIFICATIONS <AGE QUALIFICATION> OF JUDGES.
1-7 (a) A district judge must be:
1-8 (1) at least 35 <25> years old;
1-9 (2) a citizen of the United States;
1-10 (3) a resident of the judicial district served by the
1-11 judge who has resided in the district for at least one year before
1-12 taking office; and
1-13 (4) licensed to practice law in this state.
1-14 (b) In addition to the requirements in Subsection (a), a
1-15 district judge must:
1-16 (1) have practiced law in this state, other than
1-17 serving as a judge, for at least 10 years before taking office and:
1-18 (A) be certified by the Texas Board of Legal
1-19 Specialization as having special competence in:
1-20 (i) administrative law;
1-21 (ii) bankruptcy law;
1-22 (iii) civil appellate law;
1-23 (iv) civil trial law;
1-24 (v) consumer law;
2-1 (vi) criminal law;
2-2 (vii) family law;
2-3 (viii) immigration law; or
2-4 (ix) personal injury law; or
2-5 (B) have served as a judge of a county court at
2-6 law, a district court, or the court of criminal appeals, or as a
2-7 justice of a court of appeals or the supreme court; or
2-8 (2) have practiced law in this state, other than
2-9 serving as a judge, for at least 15 years.
2-10 (c) A person serving as a district court judge, justice of a
2-11 court of appeals, judge of the court of criminal appeals, or
2-12 justice of the supreme court on January 1, 1996, is not subject to
2-13 Subsection (b).
2-14 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 1996, but only
2-15 if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 74th Legislature,
2-16 Regular Session, 1995, relating to allowing the legislature to
2-17 establish the qualifications for district court judges, is approved
2-18 by the voters. If that amendment is not approved by the voters,
2-19 this Act has no effect.
2-20 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.