By: Wentworth  S.B. No. 618
         (In the Senate - Filed February 13, 2007; February 27, 2007,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
  March 19, 2007, reported favorably, as amended, by the following
  vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; March 19, 2007, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By:  Wentworth
 
 
  Amend S.B. 618 (Introduced version) as follows:
         (1)  In the recital for SECTION 2 of the bill (page 1, line
  29), strike "Subsection (a), Section 27.031" and substitute
  "Section 27.031".
         (2)  In the recital for SECTION 2 of the bill (page 1, line
  30), between "amended" and "to", insert "by amending Subsection (a)
  and adding Subsection (c)".
         (3)  In SECTION 2 of the bill, following amended Subsection
  (a), Section 27.031, Government Code (page 1, between lines 41 and
  42), insert:
         (c)  A corporation need not be represented by an attorney in
  justice court.
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the jurisdiction of the county, justice, and small
  claims courts in civil matters.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsection (a), Section 26.042, Government Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A county court has concurrent jurisdiction with the
  justice courts in civil cases in which the matter in controversy
  exceeds $200 in value but does not exceed $10,000 [$5,000],
  exclusive of interest.
         SECTION 2.  Subsection (a), Section 27.031, Government Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  In addition to the jurisdiction and powers provided by
  the constitution and other law, the justice court has original
  jurisdiction of:
               (1)  civil matters in which exclusive jurisdiction is
  not in the district or county court and in which the amount in
  controversy is not more than $10,000 [$5,000], exclusive of
  interest;
               (2)  cases of forcible entry and detainer; and
               (3)  foreclosure of mortgages and enforcement of liens
  on personal property in cases in which the amount in controversy is
  otherwise within the justice court's jurisdiction.
         SECTION 3.  Subsection (a), Section 28.003, Government Code,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The small claims court has concurrent jurisdiction with
  the justice court in actions by any person for the recovery of money
  in which the amount involved, exclusive of costs, does not exceed
  $10,000 [$5,000].
         SECTION 4.  This Act applies only to a cause of action filed
  on or after the effective date of this Act. A cause of action filed
  before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
  effect at the time the cause of action was filed, and that law is
  continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
 
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