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.