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AN ACT
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relating to the County Court of Titus County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 26, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 26.325 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 26.325. TITUS COUNTY. (a) The County Court of Titus |
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County has: |
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(1) the general jurisdiction of a probate court; |
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(2) juvenile jurisdiction as provided by Section |
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26.042(b); and |
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(3) original and appellate jurisdiction in all matters |
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over which county courts have jurisdiction under the constitution |
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and general laws of this state. |
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(b) The terms of the county court continue until the court |
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has disposed of its business. The commissioners court may change |
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the court terms under Section 26.002. |
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(c) A judge of a district court in Titus County and the judge |
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of the county court may enter into a written agreement granting the |
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county court jurisdiction to hear: |
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(1) guilty pleas in felony cases; |
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(2) default judgments; |
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(3) uncontested civil and family law cases in which a |
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final judgment will be entered; and |
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(4) civil and family law cases in which an agreed final |
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judgment will be entered. |
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(d) The county court judge may not enter into an agreement |
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under Subsection (c) unless: |
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(1) the county is included in at least two judicial |
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districts that contain more than one county; |
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(2) the county does not have a county court at law; |
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(3) the county court retains original misdemeanor |
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jurisdiction; and |
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(4) the county judge is an attorney who: |
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(A) is licensed to practice law in this state; |
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and |
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(B) meets the qualifications for holding the |
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office of district court judge. |
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(e) An agreement under Subsection (c) may provide that a |
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final judgment be approved by the district court judge. |
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(f) The county judge has the same judicial immunity as the |
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district court judge when presiding over cases authorized under |
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Subsection (c). |
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(g) All pleadings, documents, records, and other papers in |
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district court cases heard by a county court judge remain under the |
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control of the district clerk. The district clerk may establish a |
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separate docket for the cases considered by the county court judge. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 4685 was passed by the House on May |
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15, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 4685 was passed by the Senate on May |
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27, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |