BILL ANALYSIS
By: Paxton
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The local statutory county courts in Collin County desire statutory authority to request another judge to hear cases for them. The purpose of this bill is to provide such authority.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
The bill would amend the Government Code to permit a statutory county court judge in Collin County on request to sit for a statutory probate court judge in the county. This would result in a judge of a court without specialized probate jurisdiction potentially sitting in a probate court, but the act limits the types of matters which may be heard by the substitute judge to uncontested matters.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Immediately on receipt of required vote; otherwise September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute changes the original bill by inserting the limitation that the judge serving at the request of a statutory probate judge may hear only uncontested matters.