By: Lewis H.B. No. 3153
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation and composition of district courts and
  statutory county courts and county courts at law.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 24.586 to read as follows:
         Sec. 24.586.  442ND JUDICIAL DISTRICT (DENTON COUNTY). The
  442nd Judicial District is composed of Denton County.
         SECTION 2.  The 442nd Judicial District is created on the
  effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 24.591 to read as follows:
         Sec. 24.591.  447TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (KENEDY AND KLEBERG
  COUNTIES). The 447th Judicial District is composed of Kenedy and
  Kleberg Counties.
         SECTION 4.  The 447th Judicial District is created on the
  effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 5.  SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 24, Government
  Code, is amended by adding Section 24.594 to read as follows:
         Sec. 24.594.  450TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (TRAVIS COUNTY).  (a)
  The 450th Judicial District is composed of Travis County.
         (b)  The 450th District Court shall give preference to
  criminal matters.
         SECTION 6.  The 450th Judicial District is created on the
  effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 7.  Section 25.0701 and Section 25.0702 are amended
  to read as follows:  Sec. 25.0701. ECTOR COUNTY.  (a) Ector County
  has only the following statutory county courts:
               (1)  County Court at Law of Ector County; and
               (2)  County Court at Law No. 2 of Ector County.
         (b)  A county court at law sits in Odessa.
         Sec. 25.0702.  ECTOR COUNTY COURT AT LAW.  (a) In addition to
  the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and other law, a
  county court at law in Ector County only has concurrent
  jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and
  proceedings.
         SECTION 8.  Section 25.0041 and 25.0042 is amended to read as
  follows: Sec. 25.0041. ANDERSON COUNTY. (a) Anderson County has
  only one statutory county court, the County Court at Law of Anderson
  County.
         (b)  The County Court at Law of Anderson County sits in
  Palestine.
         Sec. 25.0042.  ANDERSON COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (a)
  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and
  other law, a county court at law in Anderson County has only:
               (1)  concurrent jurisdiction with the district court
  in:
                     (A)  probate matters and proceedings, including
  will contests;
                     (B)  family law cases and proceedings;
                     (C)  criminal cases; and
                     (D)  actions and proceedings under Subtitle B,
  Title 9, Property Code; and
               (2)  concurrent jurisdiction with the county and
  district courts over all suits arising under the Family Code.
         (a-1)  A county court at law also has concurrent jurisdiction
  with the district court in felony cases to conduct arraignments,
  conduct pretrial hearings, and accept guilty pleas.
         (b)  Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec.
  4.50(a)(1), eff. January 1, 2012.
         (c)  Repealed by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 746, Sec. 70, eff.
  Oct. 1, 1991.
         (d)  Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec.
  4.50(a)(1), eff. January 1, 2012.
         (e)  The salary of the judge of a county court at law shall be
  paid out of the county treasury by the commissioners court. The
  judge is entitled to travel expenses and necessary office expenses,
  including administrative and clerical assistance, in the same
  manner as the county judge.
         (f)  Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec.
  4.50(a)(1), eff. January 1, 2012.
         (g)  The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at
  law in all cases arising under the Family Code and Section 23.001
  and shall establish a separate docket for a county court at law; the
  county clerk serves as clerk of the court in all other cases.
         (h)  The judge of a county court at law may appoint an
  official court reporter or the judge may contract for the services
  of a court reporter under guidelines established by the
  commissioners court.
         (i)  If a case under the Family Code or Section 23.001 is
  tried before a jury, the jury shall be composed of 12 members.
         (j)  Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec.
  4.50(a)(1), eff. January 1, 2012.
         (k)  Appeals in all civil cases from judgments and orders of
  a county court at law are to the court of appeals as provided for
  appeals from district and county courts. Appeals in all criminal
  cases are to the court of appeals as provided for appeals from
  county courts. All cases appealed from the justice courts and other
  inferior courts in Anderson County must be made directly to a county
  court at law, unless otherwise provided by law.
         SECTION 9.  Subchapter C, Chapter 25, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 25.0091 and 25.0092 to read as follows:
         Sec. 25.0091.  ATASCOSA COUNTY.  Atascosa County has one
  statutory county court, the County Court at Law of Atascosa County.
         Sec. 25.0092.  ATASCOSA COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (a)
  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section 25.0003 and
  other law, and except as limited by Subsection (b), a county court
  at law in Atascosa County has concurrent jurisdiction with the
  district court in:
               (1)  Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases;
               (2)  family law matters;
               (3)  juvenile matters;
               (4)  probate matters; and
               (5)  appeals from the justice and municipal courts.
         (b)  A county court at law does not have general supervisory
  control or appellate review of the commissioners court or
  jurisdiction of:
               (1)  suits on behalf of this state to recover penalties
  or escheated property;
               (2)  misdemeanors involving official misconduct; or
               (3)  contested elections.
         (c)  The judge of a county court at law must have the same
  qualifications as those required by law for a district judge.
         (d)  The judge of a county court at law shall be paid a total
  annual salary set by the commissioners court at an amount that is
  not less than $1,000 less than the total annual salary received by
  a district judge in the county. A district judge's or statutory
  county court judge's total annual salary does not include
  contributions and supplements paid by a county.
         (e)  The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at
  law in matters of concurrent jurisdiction with the district court,
  and the county clerk shall serve as clerk of a county court at law in
  all other matters. Each clerk shall establish a separate docket for
  a county court at law.
         (f)  The official court reporter of a county court at law is
  entitled to receive a salary set by the judge of the county court at
  law with the approval of the commissioners court.
         (g)  Jurors summoned for a county court at law or a district
  court in the county may by order of the judge of the court to which
  they are summoned be transferred to another court for service and
  may be used as if summoned for the court to which they are
  transferred.
         SECTION 10.  Notwithstanding Section 25.0091, Government
  Code, as added by this Act, the County Court at Law of Atascosa
  County is created January 1, 2014, or on an earlier date determined
  by the Commissioners Court of Atascosa County by an order entered in
  its minutes.
         SECTION 11.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.