78S10039 YDB-D

By:  Lindsay                                                      S.B. No. 10 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to procedures in condemnation proceedings in a county 
civil court at law in certain counties.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 25, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 25.0020 to read as follows:
	Sec. 25.0020.  CONDEMNATION PROCEEDINGS IN CERTAIN 
COUNTIES.  (a)  This section applies only to a county with a 
population of three million or more.
	(b)  Notwithstanding any other law, a county civil court at 
law has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court of eminent 
domain proceedings, both statutory and inverse, regardless of the 
amount in controversy.
	(c)  Notwithstanding Section 21.013, Property Code, a party 
initiating a condemnation proceeding may file a petition with any 
clerk authorized to accept the petition for the district court.
	(d)  A condemnation proceeding shall be assigned by rotation 
to a court with jurisdiction to hear the proceeding.
	(e)  Notwithstanding Section 62.301, for a condemnation 
proceeding before a county civil court at law, a party may elect to 
have the proceeding tried before a jury of 12 persons.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect November 1, 2003.