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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the jurisdiction of, number of jurors in, and the clerk |
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serving the County Court at Law of Van Zandt County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.2362, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsection (i) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section |
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25.0003 and other law, and except as limited by Subsection (b), a |
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county court at law in Van Zandt County has concurrent jurisdiction |
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with the district court in: |
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(1) felony cases to: |
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(A) conduct arraignments; |
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(B) conduct pretrial hearings; |
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(C) accept guilty pleas; and |
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(D) conduct jury trials on assignment of a |
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district judge presiding in Van Zandt County and acceptance of the |
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assignment by the judge of the county court at law; |
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(2) Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases; |
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(3) family law matters; |
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(4) juvenile matters; |
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(5) probate matters; |
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(6) guardianship matters; and |
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(7) [(6)] appeals from the justice and municipal |
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courts. |
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(f) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at |
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law in family court matters and proceedings [of concurrent
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jurisdiction with the district court], and the county clerk shall |
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serve as clerk of a county court at law in all other matters. Each |
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clerk shall establish a separate docket for a county court at law. |
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(i) If a jury trial is requested in a case that is in a |
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county court at law's jurisdiction, the jury shall be composed of |
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six members unless the constitution requires a 12-member jury. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |