Amend CSHB 4833 (Senate committee printing) by striking
Subsection (a) of SECTION 10 of the bill, amending Section 25.1182,
Government Code (page 4, lines 44 through 53), and substituting the
following:
(a) Section 25.1182, Government Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 25.1182. HUNT COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (a) In
addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and other
law, and except as limited by Subsection (b), a county court at law
in Hunt County has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court
in:
(1) felony cases to:
(A) conduct arraignments;
(B) conduct pretrial hearings;
(C) accept guilty pleas; and
(D) conduct jury trials on assignment of a
district judge presiding in Hunt County and acceptance of the
assignment by the judge of the county court at law;
(2) Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases;
(3) family law matters;
(4) juvenile matters;
(5) probate matters; and
(6) appeals from the justice and municipal courts.
(b) A county court at law's civil jurisdiction concurrent
with the district court in civil cases is limited to cases in which
the matter in controversy does not exceed $200,000. A county court
at law does not have general supervisory control or appellate
review of the commissioners court or jurisdiction of:
(1) suits on behalf of this state to recover penalties
or escheated property;
(2) felony cases involving capital murder;
(3) misdemeanors involving official misconduct; or
(4) contested elections [has the same terms of court
as the County Court of Hunt County].
(c) The judge of a county court at law must have the same
qualifications as those required by law for a district judge.
(d) The judge of a county court at law shall be paid a total
[an] annual salary set by the commissioners court at an amount
that is not less than $1,000 less than the total annual salary
received by a district judge in the county. A district judge's or
statutory county court judge's total annual salary does not include
contributions and supplements paid by a county [that is at least
$42,500, to be paid from the same fund and in the same manner as the
county judge. The judge is entitled to receive travel expenses and
necessary office expenses in the same manner as is allowed the
county judge].
(e) The judge of a county court at law [shall diligently
discharge the duties of his office on a full-time basis and] may not
engage in the private practice of law.
(f) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at
law in matters of concurrent jurisdiction with the district court,
and the county clerk shall serve as clerk of a county court at law in
all other matters. Each clerk shall establish a separate docket for
a county court at law [A special judge of a county court at law with
the same qualifications as the regular judge may be appointed or
elected in the manner provided by law for county courts. If the
judge of a county court at law is disqualified to try a case pending
in the judge's court, the parties or their attorneys may agree on
the selection of a special judge to try the case. A special judge is
entitled to receive $100 for each day served to be paid out of the
general fund of the county by the commissioners court].
(g) The official court reporter of a county court at law is
entitled to receive a salary set by the judge of the county court at
law with the approval of the commissioners court [The county
sheriff shall, in person or by deputy, attend a county court at law
as required by the judge].
(h) Jurors summoned for a county court at law or a district
court in the county may by order of the judge of the court to which
they are summoned be transferred to another court for service and
may be used as if summoned for the court to which they are
transferred [Practice in a county court at law is that prescribed
by law for county courts].
[(i) Section 25.0005(b) does not apply to a county court at
law in Hunt County.]