By Merritt                                            H.B. No. 3649
         77R7692 KLA-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the jurisdiction of and composition of juries in the
 1-3     County Court at Law of Gregg County.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 25.0942, Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     amending Subsection (a)  and adding Subsection (l) to read as
 1-7     follows:
 1-8           (a)  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section
 1-9     25.0003 and other law, a county court of law in Gregg County has,
1-10     concurrent [jurisdiction] with the district court, the jurisdiction
1-11     provided by the constitution and general law for district courts,
1-12     except that the county court at law does not have jurisdiction in
1-13     capital felony cases [in family law cases and proceedings].
1-14           (l)  Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, a jury
1-15     in a county court at law shall be composed of six members, unless
1-16     the constitution requires a 12-member jury.  Failure to object
1-17     before a six-member jury is seated and sworn constitutes a waiver
1-18     of a 12-member jury.  In matters in which the constitution does not
1-19     require a 12-member jury and the county court at law has concurrent
1-20     jurisdiction with the district court, the jury shall be composed of
1-21     12 members if a party to the suit requests a 12-member jury.  In a
1-22     civil case tried in a county court at law, the parties may, by
1-23     mutual agreement and with the consent of the judge, agree to try
1-24     the case with any number of jurors and have a verdict rendered and
 2-1     returned by the vote of any number of those jurors that is less
 2-2     than the total number of jurors.
 2-3           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2003.