By Alonzo H.B. No. 3145
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the election of statutory county court judges from
1-3 election subdistricts.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 25.0003, Government Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 25.0003. Jurisdiction. (a) A statutory county court
1-8 has jurisdiction over all causes and proceedings, civil and
1-9 criminal, original and appellate, prescribed by law for county
1-10 courts.
1-11 (b) A statutory county court judge elected from a
1-12 suddistrict has the same authority and jurisdiction as a judge
1-13 elected at large.
1-14 (c) A statutory county court does not have jurisdiction over
1-15 causes and proceedings concerning roads, bridges, and public
1-16 highways and the general administration of county business that is
1-17 within the jurisdiction of the commissioners court of each county.
1-18 <(c)> (d) In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, a
1-19 statutory county court exercising civil jurisdiction concurrent
1-20 with the constitutional jurisdiction of the county court has
1-21 concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in:
1-22 (1) civil cases in which the matter in controversy
1-23 exceeds $500 but does not exceed $100,000, excluding interest,
2-1 statutory or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees
2-2 and costs, as alleged on the face of the petition; and
2-3 (2) appeals of final rulings and decisions of the
2-4 Texas Workers' Compensation Commission, regardless of the amount in
2-5 controversy.
2-6 <(d)> (e) Except as provided by Subsection (e), a statutory
2-7 county court has, concurrent with the county court, the probate
2-8 jurisdiction provided by general law for county courts.
2-9 <(e)> (f) In a county that has a statutory probate court, a
2-10 statutory probate court is the only county court created by statute
2-11 with probate jurisdiction.
2-12 SECTION 2. Section 25.0009, Government Code, is amended to
2-13 read as follows:
2-14 Sec. 25.0009. Vacancy. (a) The commissioners court of each
2-15 county shall appoint a person to fill a vacancy in the office of
2-16 judge of a statutory county court, if that judge was elected from a
2-17 subdistrict the person appointed to fill the vacancy.
2-18 (b) The appointee holds office until the next general
2-19 election and until the successor is elected and has qualified.
2-20 (c) This section applies to a vacancy existing on creation
2-21 of the office of judge.
2-22 SECTION 3. Section 25.0171, Government Code, is amended to
2-23 read as follows:
2-24 (a) Bexar County has one county court at law and statutory
2-25 probate court, the County Court at Law No. 1 and Probate Court of
3-1 Bexar County, Texas.
3-2 (b) Bexar County has the following county courts at law:
3-3 (1) County Court at Law No. 2 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-4 county court at Law No. 2 of Bexar County, Texas is elected from
3-5 the following subdistrict ;
3-6 (2) County Court at Law No. 3 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-7 county court at law No. 3 of Bexar County, Texas is
3-8 elected from the following subdistrict;
3-9 (3) County Court at Law No. 4 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-10 county court at law No. 4 of Bexar County, Texas is
3-11 elected from the following subdistrict;
3-12 (4) County Court at Law No. 5 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-13 county court at law No. 5 of Bexar County, Texas is
3-14 elected from the following subdistrict;
3-15 (5) County Court at Law No. 6 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-16 county court at law No. 6 of Bexar County, Texas is
3-17 elected from the following subdistrict;
3-18 (6) County Court at Law No. 7 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-19 county court at law No. 7 of Bexar County, Texas is
3-20 elected from the following subdistrict;
3-21 (7) County Court at Law No. 8 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-22 county court at law No. 8 of Bexar County, Texas is
3-23 elected from the following subdistrict; and
3-24 (8) County Court at Law No. 9 of Bexar County, Texas,
3-25 county court at law No. 9 of Bexar County, Texas is
4-1 elected from the following subdistrict.
4-2 SECTION 4. Section 25.0591, Government Code, is amended to
4-3 read as follows:
4-4 Sec. 25.0591. Dallas County. (a) Dallas County has the
4-5 following county courts at law:
4-6 (1) County Court of Dallas County at Law No. 1, County
4-7 Court of Dallas No. 1 of Dallas County, Texas is elected from the
4-8 following subdistrict ;
4-9 (2) County Court of Dallas County at Law No. 2, County
4-10 Court of Dallas No. 2 of Dallas County, Texas is elected from the
4-11 following subdistrict ;
4-12 (3) County Court of Dallas County at Law Number 3,
4-13 County Court of Dallas No. 3 of Dallas County, Texas is elected
4-14 from the following subdistrict ;
4-15 (4) County Court of Dallas County at Law Number 4,
4-16 County Court of Dallas No. 4 of Dallas County, Texas is elected
4-17 from the following subdistrict ; and
4-18 (5) County Court of Dallas County at Law No. 5, County
4-19 Court of Dallas No. 5 of Dallas County, Texas is elected from the
4-20 following subdistrict .
4-21 (b) Dallas County has the following county criminal courts:
4-22 (1) County Criminal Court of Dallas County, Texas, the
4-23 County Criminal Court of Dallas of Dallas County, Texas is elected
4-24 from the following subdistrict ;
4-25 (2) County Criminal Court No. 2 of Dallas County,
5-1 Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 2 of Dallas County,
5-2 Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ;
5-3 (3) County Criminal Court No. 3 of Dallas County,
5-4 Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 3 of Dallas County,
5-5 Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ;
5-6 (4) County Criminal Court Number Four of Dallas
5-7 County, Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 4 of Dallas
5-8 County, Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ;
5-9 (5) County Criminal Court Number Five of Dallas
5-10 County, Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 5 of Dallas
5-11 County, Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ;
5-12 (6) County Criminal Court Number 6 of Dallas County,
5-13 Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 6 of Dallas County,
5-14 Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ;
5-15 (7) County Criminal Court Number 7 of Dallas County,
5-16 Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 7 of Dallas County,
5-17 Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ;
5-18 (8) County Criminal Court No. 8 of Dallas County,
5-19 Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 8 of Dallas County,
5-20 Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ;
5-21 (9) County Criminal Court No. 9 of Dallas County,
5-22 Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 9 of Dallas County,
5-23 Texas is elected from the following subdistrict ; and
5-24 (10) County Criminal Court No. 10 of Dallas County,
5-25 Texas, County Criminal Court of Dallas No. 10 of Dallas County,
6-1 Texas is elected from the following subdistrict .
6-2 (c) Dallas County has the following county criminal courts
6-3 of appeals:
6-4 (1) County Criminal Court of Appeals of Dallas County,
6-5 Texas; and
6-6 (2) County Criminal Court of Appeals No. 2 of Dallas
6-7 County, Texas.
6-8 (d) Dallas County has the following statutory probate
6-9 courts:
6-10 (1) Probate Court of Dallas County;
6-11 (2) Probate Court Number 2 of Dallas County; and
6-12 (3) Probate Court Number 3 of Dallas County.
6-13 SECTION 5. Section 25.1031, Government Code, is amended to
6-14 read as follows:
6-15 Sec. 25.1031. Harris County. (a) Harris County has the
6-16 following county civil courts at law:
6-17 (1) County Civil Court at Law No. 1 of Harris County,
6-18 Texas, County Civil Court of No. 1 of Harris County, Texas is
6-19 elected from the following subdistrict ;
6-20 (2) County Civil Court at Law No. 2 of Harris County,
6-21 Texas, County Civil Court of No. 2 of Harris County, Texas is
6-22 elected from the following subdistrict ;
6-23 (3) County Civil Court at Law No. 3 of Harris County,
6-24 Texas, County Civil Court of No. 3 of Harris County, Texas is
6-25 elected from the following subdistrict ; and
7-1 (4) County Civil Court at Law No. 4 of Harris County,
7-2 Texas, County Civil Court of No. 4 of Harris County, Texas is
7-3 elected from the following subdistrict .
7-4 (b) Harris County has the following county criminal courts:
7-5 (1) County Criminal Court at Law No. 1 of Harris
7-6 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 1 of Harris County, Texas
7-7 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
7-8 (2) County Criminal Court at Law No. 2 of Harris
7-9 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 2 of Harris County, Texas
7-10 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
7-11 (3) County Criminal Court at Law No. 3 of Harris
7-12 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 3 of Harris County, Texas
7-13 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
7-14 (4) County Criminal Court at Law No. 4 of Harris
7-15 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 4 of Harris County, Texas
7-16 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
7-17 (5) County Criminal Court at Law No. 5 of Harris
7-18 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 5 of Harris County, Texas
7-19 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
7-20 (6) County Criminal Court at Law No. 6 of Harris
7-21 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 6 of Harris County, Texas
7-22 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
7-23 (7) County Criminal Court at Law No. 7 of Harris
7-24 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 7 of Harris County, Texas
7-25 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
8-1 (8) County Criminal Court at Law No. 8 of Harris
8-2 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 8 of Harris County, Texas
8-3 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
8-4 (9) County Criminal Court at Law No. 9 of Harris
8-5 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 9 of Harris County, Texas
8-6 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
8-7 (10) County Criminal Court at Law No. 10 of Harris
8-8 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 10 of Harris County, Texas
8-9 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
8-10 (11) County Criminal Court at Law No. 11 of Harris
8-11 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 11 of Harris County, Texas
8-12 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
8-13 (12) County Criminal Court at Law No. 12 of Harris
8-14 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 12 of Harris County, Texas
8-15 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
8-16 (13) County Criminal Court at Law No. 13 of Harris
8-17 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 13 of Harris County, Texas
8-18 is elected from the following subdistrict ;
8-19 (14) County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 of Harris
8-20 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 14 of Harris County, Texas
8-21 is elected from the following subdistrict ; and
8-22 (15) County Criminal Court at Law No. 15 of Harris
8-23 County, Texas, County Criminal Court No. 15 of Harris County, Texas
8-24 is elected from the following subdistrict .
8-25 (c) Harris County has the following statutory probate
9-1 courts:
9-2 (1) Probate Court No. 1 of Harris County, Texas;
9-3 (2) Probate Court No. 2 of Harris County, Texas;
9-4 (3) Probate Court No. 3 of Harris County, Texas; and
9-5 (4) Probate Court No. 4 of Harris County, Texas.
9-6 SECTION 6. Section 25.1671, Government Code, is amended to
9-7 read as follows:
9-8 Sec. 25.1671. Midland County. Midland County has the
9-9 following statutory county courts:
9-10 (1) County Court at Law of Midland County, County
9-11 Court at Law of Midland County, Texas is elected from the following
9-12 subdistrict ; and
9-13 (2) County Court at Law No. 2 of Midland County,
9-14 County Court at Law No. 2 of Midland County, Texas is elected from
9-15 the following subdistrict .
9-16 SECTION 7. Section 25.2222, Government Code, is amended to
9-17 read as follows:
9-18 Sec. 25.2221. Tarrant County. (a) Tarrant County has the
9-19 following county courts at law:
9-20 (1) County Court at Law No. 1 of Tarrant County;
9-21 (2) County Court at Law No. 2 of Tarrant County; and
9-22 (3) County Court at Law No. 3 of Tarrant County.
9-23 (b) Tarrant County has the following county criminal courts:
9-24 (1) County Criminal Court No. 1 of Tarrant County,
9-25 County Criminal Court No. 1 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-1 from the following subdistrict ;
10-2 (2) County Criminal Court No. 2 of Tarrant County,
10-3 County Criminal Court No. 2 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-4 from the following subdistrict ;
10-5 (3) County Criminal Court No. 3 of Tarrant County,
10-6 County Criminal Court No. 3 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-7 from the following subdistrict ;
10-8 (4) County Criminal Court No. 4 of Tarrant County,
10-9 County Criminal Court No. 4 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-10 from the following subdistrict ;
10-11 (5) County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County,
10-12 County Criminal Court No. 5 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-13 from the following subdistrict ;
10-14 (6) County Criminal Court No. 6 of Tarrant County,
10-15 County Criminal Court No. 6 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-16 from the following subdistrict ;
10-17 (7) County Criminal Court No. 7 of Tarrant County,
10-18 County Criminal Court No. 7 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-19 from the following subdistrict ;
10-20 (8) County Criminal Court No. 8 of Tarrant County,
10-21 County Criminal Court No. 8 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-22 from the following subdistrict ;
10-23 (9) County Criminal Court No. 9 of Tarrant County,
10-24 County Criminal Court No. 9 of Midland County, Texas is elected
10-25 from the following subdistrict ; and
11-1 (10) County Criminal Court No. 10 of Tarrant County,
11-2 County Criminal Court No. 10 of Midland County, Texas is elected
11-3 from the following subdistrict .
11-4 (b) Tarrant County has the following county criminal courts:
11-5 (1) County Criminal Court No. 1 of Tarrant County;
11-6 (2) County Criminal Court No. 2 of Tarrant County;
11-7 (3) County Criminal Court No. 3 of Tarrant County;
11-8 (4) County Criminal Court No. 4 of Tarrant County;
11-9 (5) County Criminal Court No. 6 of Tarrant County;
11-10 (6) County Criminal Court No. 7 of Tarrant County;
11-11 (7) County Criminal Court No. 8 of Tarrant County;
11-12 (8) County Criminal Court No. 9 of Tarrant County; and
11-13 (9) County Criminal Court No. 10 of Tarrant County.
11-14 (c) Tarrant County has the following statutory probate
11-15 courts:
11-16 (1) Probate Court No. 1 of Tarrant County; and
11-17 (2) Probate Court No. 2 of Tarrant County.
11-18 (d) Tarrant County has one county criminal court of appeals,
11-19 the County Criminal Court of Appeals of Tarrant County.
11-20 SECTION 8. The importance of this legislation and the
11-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
11-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
11-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
11-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.