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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the jurisdiction of, civil fees assessed by, and the |
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administration of the county court at law of Lamar County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.1412, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsections (l) and (m) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section |
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25.0003 and other law, a county court at law in Lamar County has: |
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(1) concurrent jurisdiction with the district court |
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in: |
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(A) probate matters and proceedings, including |
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will contests; |
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(B) family law cases and proceedings, including |
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juvenile cases; [and] |
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(C) felony cases to conduct arraignments and |
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pretrial hearings and to accept guilty pleas; and |
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(D) matters and proceedings related to motions to |
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revoke probation or adjudicate guilt in felony cases in which a |
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guilty plea was heard pursuant to Paragraph (C); and |
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(2) concurrent jurisdiction with the county and |
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district courts over all suits arising under the Family Code. |
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(f) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at |
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law in matters of concurrent jurisdiction with the district court, |
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including felony cases, civil cases, and family law cases. The [and
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the] county clerk serves as clerk of the court in all other matters. |
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Each clerk shall establish a separate docket for a county court at |
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law. |
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(l) Fees assessed in a case in which a county court at law |
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has concurrent civil jurisdiction with the district court are the |
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same as the fees that would be assessed in the district court for |
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that case. |
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(m) In matters of concurrent jurisdiction, a judge of the |
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county court at law and a judge of a district court may transfer |
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cases between the courts in the same manner that judges of district |
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courts transfer cases under Section 24.303. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an action filed on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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action filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date the action was filed, and the former |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2011. |