1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to county criminal courts in Tarrant County.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 25.2221(b), Government Code, is amended
1-5 to read as follows:
1-6 (b) Tarrant County has the following county criminal courts:
1-7 (1) County Criminal Court No. 1 of Tarrant County;
1-8 (2) County Criminal Court No. 2 of Tarrant County;
1-9 (3) County Criminal Court No. 3 of Tarrant County;
1-10 (4) County Criminal Court No. 4 of Tarrant County;
1-11 (5) County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County;
1-12 (6) County Criminal Court No. 6 of Tarrant County;
1-13 (7) [(6)] County Criminal Court No. 7 of Tarrant
1-14 County;
1-15 (8) [(7)] County Criminal Court No. 8 of Tarrant
1-16 County;
1-17 (9) [(8)] County Criminal Court No. 9 of Tarrant
1-18 County; and
1-19 (10) [(9)] County Criminal Court No. 10 of Tarrant
1-20 County.
1-21 SECTION 2. Section 25.2223, Government Code, is amended by
1-22 amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (l) to read as
1-23 follows:
1-24 (a) A county criminal court in Tarrant County has
2-1 jurisdiction over all criminal matters and causes, original and
2-2 appellate, prescribed by law for county courts, but does not have
2-3 civil jurisdiction. The County Criminal Court No. 5 [Courts Nos.
2-4 3, 4, 5, and 6] of Tarrant County also has [have] concurrent
2-5 jurisdiction within the county of all appeals from criminal
2-6 convictions under the laws of this state and the municipal
2-7 ordinances of the municipalities located in Tarrant County that are
2-8 appealed from the justice courts and municipal courts in the
2-9 county. The County Criminal Courts Nos. 5, 7, 8, 9, and 10 of
2-10 Tarrant County also have concurrent jurisdiction with the district
2-11 court in felony cases to conduct arraignments, conduct pretrial
2-12 hearings, and accept guilty pleas.
2-13 (l) The County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County shall
2-14 give preference to cases brought under Title 5, Penal Code,
2-15 involving family violence as defined by Section 71.01, Family Code,
2-16 and cases brought under Sections 25.07 and 42.072, Penal Code.
2-17 SECTION 3. Sections 25.2221(d) and 25.2225, Government Code,
2-18 are repealed.
2-19 SECTION 4. (a) The County Criminal Court of Appeals of
2-20 Tarrant County is redesignated as the County Criminal Court No. 5
2-21 of Tarrant County.
2-22 (b) The judge of the County Criminal Court of Appeals of
2-23 Tarrant County shall fill the initial vacancy in the office of
2-24 judge of the County Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County. Unless
2-25 otherwise removed, the judge serves until December 31, 1998, and
2-26 until the judge's successor is elected and has qualified. In the
2-27 1998 general election and every four years thereafter, the
3-1 qualified voters of the county shall elect a judge of the County
3-2 Criminal Court No. 5 of Tarrant County for a regular term of four
3-3 years.
3-4 SECTION 5. Notwithstanding Section 25.2223(c), Government
3-5 Code, the initial term of the County Criminal Court No. 5 of
3-6 Tarrant County ends December 31, 1998. The commissioners court
3-7 shall determine terms after the initial term as provided by Section
3-8 25.2223(c), Government Code.
3-9 SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
3-10 SECTION 7. The importance of this legislation and the
3-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1916 was passed by the House on April
2, 1997, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1916 on May 12, 1997, by a non-record
vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1916 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 8, 1997, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays
0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor