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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of three additional county courts at law in |
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Bexar County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.0171(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Bexar County has the following county courts at law: |
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(1) County Court at Law No. 1 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(2) County Court at Law No. 2 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(3) County Court at Law No. 3 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(4) County Court at Law No. 4 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(5) County Court at Law No. 5 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(6) County Court at Law No. 6 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(7) County Court at Law No. 7 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(8) County Court at Law No. 8 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(9) County Court at Law No. 9 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(10) County Court at Law No. 10 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(11) County Court at Law No. 11 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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[and] |
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(12) County Court at Law No. 12 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(13) County Court at Law No. 13 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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(14) County Court at Law No. 14 of Bexar County, Texas; |
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and |
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(15) County Court at Law No. 15 of Bexar County, Texas. |
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SECTION 2. Section 25.0172, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) and amending Subsections (d), (l), (n), |
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(o), (u), and (v) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) The County Court at Law No. 13 of Bexar County, Texas, |
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shall give preference to cases prosecuted under: |
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(1) Section 22.01, Penal Code, in which the victim is a |
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person whose relationship to or association with the defendant is |
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described by Chapter 71, Family Code; and |
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(2) Section 25.07, Penal Code. |
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(d) The County Courts at Law Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, |
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[and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 have six terms of court beginning on the |
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first Mondays in January, March, May, July, September, and |
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November. The County Court at Law No. 2 has six terms of court |
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beginning on the first Mondays in February, April, June, August, |
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October, and December. |
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(l) If the judge of the County Court at Law No. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, |
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10, 11, [or] 12, 13, 14, or 15 is absent, disabled, or disqualified |
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from presiding, a special judge may be appointed or elected in the |
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manner provided by law for the appointment or election of a special |
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county judge. A special judge must take the oath of office required |
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by law for the regular judge. A special judge has the power and |
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jurisdiction of the court and of the regular judge for whom the |
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special judge is sitting and may sign orders, judgments, decrees, |
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and other process of any kind as "Judge Presiding." A special judge |
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is entitled to receive for services performed the same amount of |
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compensation as the regular judge, to be paid out of county funds. |
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The compensation paid a special judge may not be deducted from the |
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salary of the regular judge. |
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(n) The criminal district attorney shall attend the County |
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Court at Law No. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, [or] 12, 13, 14, or 15 as |
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required by the judge. The criminal district attorney serves the |
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county courts at law as provided by Section 25.0010(b). |
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(o) The judge of the County Court at Law No. 4 or 6 may |
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appoint a court coordinator or administrative assistant for the |
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court. The judge of the County Court at Law No. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, |
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[or] 12, 13, 14, or 15 may, with the approval of the commissioners |
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court, appoint a court coordinator or administrative assistant for |
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the court. A court coordinator or administrative assistant |
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performs the duties prescribed by the judge and cooperates with the |
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administrative judges and state agencies for the uniform and |
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efficient operation of the courts and the administration of |
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justice. The court coordinator or administrative assistant is |
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entitled to be paid from county funds the compensation, fees, and |
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allowances that are set by the commissioners court or as otherwise |
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provided by law. These provisions are in addition to the provisions |
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in Subchapter F, Chapter 75. |
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(u) The official court reporter of a county court at law is |
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entitled to receive an annual salary set by the judge and approved |
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by the commissioners court at an amount not less than $35,256. The |
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official court reporter's fee shall be taxed as costs in civil |
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actions in County Courts at Law Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, |
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[and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 in the same manner as that fee is taxed in |
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district court. In County Court at Law No. 2, the clerk collects |
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the official court reporters' fee of $3 and pays it into the county |
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treasury in the same manner as district clerks are required to |
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collect and pay costs. |
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(v) Section 25.0006(a) does not apply to County Courts at |
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Law Nos. 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, [and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 of Bexar |
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County. Section 25.0006(b) does not apply to County Courts at Law |
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Nos. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, [and] 12, 13, 14, and 15 of Bexar |
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County. |
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SECTION 3. The County Courts at Law Nos. 13, 14, and 15 of |
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Bexar County, Texas, are created September 1, 2009. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |