AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The purpose of this legislation is to allow elected judges, full-time criminal law magistrate judges, full-time associate judges, and full-time master judges appoint an official court reporter to serve the judge's court if the judge believe an official court reporter is necessary.
Currently, each judge of a court of record has the power to appoint an official court reporter. Judges that are not included in the definition of a court of record must still have a court reporter for appellate purposes, but they do not have the option of an official court reporter.
This bill would help in the timely submission of appellate and commitment issues by allowing the courts to appoint an official court reporter. Courts only have to work to train one person instead of training court reporters as they rotate in and out of the court.
As proposed, S.B. 1893 amends current law relating to the appointment of a court reporter by criminal law magistrates, civil law associate judges, and juvenile law masters in Bexar County.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 52.044, Government Code, by adding Subsection (e), as follows:
(e) Authorizes a full-time magistrate, full-time associate judge, or full-time master in Bexar County, notwithstanding any other provision of this section, to appoint an official court reporter to serve the magistrate, associate judge, or master, as applicable. Provides that the reporter is a sworn officer of the court who holds office at the pleasure of the magistrate, associate judge, or master, as applicable, who appointed the reporter.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2011.