By Keffer H.B. No. 3686 77R10953 YDB-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of a county court at law in Hood County. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Government Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Sections 25.1131 and 25.1132 to read as follows: 1-6 Sec. 25.1131. HOOD COUNTY. Hood County has one statutory 1-7 county court, the County Court at Law No. 1 of Hood County. 1-8 Sec. 25.1132. HOOD COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (a) In 1-9 addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and other 1-10 law, a county court at law in Hood County has the jurisdiction 1-11 provided by this section. 1-12 (b) A county court at law in Hood County has concurrent 1-13 jurisdiction with the county court in mental health cases. 1-14 (c) A county court at law in Hood County has concurrent 1-15 jurisdiction with the district court in: 1-16 (1) civil cases in which the matter in controversy 1-17 exceeds $500 but does not exceed $250,000, excluding interest; 1-18 (2) family law cases and related proceedings; and 1-19 (3) contested probate matters under Section 5(b), 1-20 Texas Probate Code. 1-21 (d) The county court and each county court at law and 1-22 district court in Hood County has jurisdiction over juvenile 1-23 matters and may be designated a juvenile court. The county court 1-24 has primary jurisdiction over juvenile matters. 2-1 (e) Except as provided by Subsection (c)(3), a county court 2-2 at law does not have probate jurisdiction. 2-3 (f) A county court at law in Hood County has the same terms 2-4 of court as the County Court of Hood County. 2-5 (g) The judge of a county court at law in Hood County must: 2-6 (1) be a citizen of the United States; 2-7 (2) be a resident of Hood County; 2-8 (3) have actively practiced law in Hood County for at 2-9 least the four years preceding the date of election or appointment; 2-10 (4) be a qualified voter; and 2-11 (5) be a licensed attorney in this state for at least 2-12 the four years preceding the date of election or appointment. 2-13 (h) The judge of a county court at law may not engage in the 2-14 private practice of law. 2-15 (i) The judge of a county court at law shall be paid an 2-16 annual salary that is not less than 90 percent of the annual salary 2-17 of a district judge in the county. The salary shall be paid from 2-18 the county treasury on order of the commissioners court. The judge 2-19 is entitled to travel expenses and necessary office expenses, 2-20 including administrative and clerical personnel, in the same manner 2-21 as the county judge. 2-22 (j) If the regular judge of a county court at law is absent, 2-23 disabled, or disqualified from presiding, a special judge may be 2-24 appointed in the manner provided by law for the appointment of a 2-25 special judge. A special judge must have the same qualifications 2-26 as the regular judge and is entitled to the same amount of daily 2-27 compensation as the regular judge. The compensation paid to a 3-1 special judge may not be deducted from the salary paid to the 3-2 regular judge. 3-3 (k) A special judge must take the oath of office required by 3-4 law for the regular judge and has the same authority as the regular 3-5 judge. A special judge may sign orders, judgments, decrees, and 3-6 other processes of the court as "Judge Presiding" when acting for 3-7 the regular judge. The appointment of a special judge to a county 3-8 court at law does not affect the jurisdiction of the court. 3-9 (l) The judge of a county court at law, with the approval of 3-10 the commissioners court, may appoint personnel necessary for the 3-11 operation of the court. The appointed personnel are entitled to 3-12 compensation, fees, and allowances set by the commissioners court, 3-13 or otherwise provided by law, and paid from county funds. 3-14 (m) The commissioners court may employ as many assistant 3-15 county attorneys and bailiffs as are necessary to serve a county 3-16 court at law. 3-17 (n) The official court reporter of a county court at law is 3-18 entitled to compensation set by the commissioners court in an 3-19 amount at least equal to the compensation paid to the court 3-20 reporter of a district court in Hood County. 3-21 (o) If a family law case or proceeding is tried before a 3-22 jury in a county court at law, the jury shall be composed of 12 3-23 members. In all other cases, the jury shall be composed of six 3-24 members. 3-25 (p) A county court at law has the jurisdiction and authority 3-26 vested by law in the county court for the drawing, selection, and 3-27 service of jurors. Jurors summoned for service in the county court 4-1 or a county court at law, by order of the judge of the court to 4-2 which the jurors were summoned, may be transferred to another court 4-3 for service in that court. If the judges of the county court and 4-4 each county court at law agree, jurors may be summoned for service 4-5 in all of the courts and used interchangeably in the courts. 4-6 SECTION 2. The County Court at Law No. 1 of Hood County is 4-7 created and this Act takes effect September 1, 2001.