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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of an additional judicial district |
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composed of Harris County and the preference given by the district |
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court to domestic violence cases. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 24.60020 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 24.60020. 476TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (HARRIS COUNTY). (a) |
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The 476th Judicial District is composed of Harris County. |
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(b) Subject to any jurisdictional limitations, the 476th |
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District Court shall give preference to: |
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(1) domestic violence cases, including cases |
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involving: |
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(A) dating violence, as defined by Section |
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71.0021, Family Code; |
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(B) family violence, as defined by Section |
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71.004, Family Code; |
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(C) abuse or neglect, as defined by Section |
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261.001, Family Code, of a child; or |
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(D) elder abuse; |
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(2) any matter in which pleadings are filed |
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concurrently with an application for a protective order under Title |
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4, Family Code, that involves both parties; |
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(3) any matter involving minor children if one parent |
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is alleged to have caused the death of another parent and there is a |
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history of domestic violence in the parents' relationship; and |
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(4) cases in which: |
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(A) a court has made an affirmative finding of |
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family violence involving both parties; or |
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(B) a protective order has been issued under |
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Title 4, Family Code, involving both parties. |
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(c) The 476th District Court shall: |
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(1) provide timely and efficient access to emergency |
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protective orders and other court remedies for persons the court |
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determines are victims of domestic violence; |
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(2) integrate victims' services for persons the court |
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determines are victims of domestic violence who have a case before |
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the court; and |
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(3) promote an informed and consistent court response |
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to domestic violence cases to lessen the number of misdemeanors, |
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felonies, and fatalities related to domestic violence in Harris |
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County. |
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(d) The clerk for the 476th District Court shall create a |
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form to transfer a domestic violence case that the 476th District |
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Court is required to give preference to under this section to the |
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476th District Court. |
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SECTION 2. The 476th Judicial District is created on the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |