This bill would amend various chapters of the Government Code as it relates to district courts, statutory county courts, multicounty courts, justice courts, and criminal magistrates. The bill would create eight additional courts. The bill would also allow the State to reimburse certain appellate court judges or justices for certain expenses incurred while on official duties in counties other than their county of residence.
The bill would create the 493rd Judicial District (Collin), 465th Judicial District (Bastrop), 472nd Judicial District (Brazos) on September 1, 2023. The bill creates the 494th Judicial District (Collin) and 477th Judicial District (Denton) County on January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025, respectively. The bill outlines case preferences for these courts.
The bill would amend various sections of the Government Code related to the salaries of certain judges and prosecutors. For certain judges, the bill would include years of service as a district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney in determining judicial salary for certain judges. For certain prosecutors, the bill would include as years of service any service as a district attorney, criminal district attorney, county attorney, an appellate court justice, district judge, statutory county court judge, multicounty statutory county court judge, or statutory probate court judge or justice. The bill amends Government Code Section 46.003 to include as years of service of the state prosecuting attorney or a state prosecutor any years of service as a county attorney, an appellate court justice, district judge, statutory county court judge, multicounty statutory county court judge, or statutory probate court judge or justice.
The bill would provide that Grayson County Court at Law has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in family law cases and proceedings. The bill would provide that the district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at law in family law cases and that the county clerk serves as clerk in all other cases.
The bill would re-designate County Court at Law No. 2 in Montgomery County as Probate Court No. 1 of Montgomery County effective October 1, 2023. The bill would outline court jurisdiction, officeholder, election, docketing, case transfer, and court operation provisions. The bill would add general provisions applicable to a statutory probate court in Montgomery County.
The bill would create Probate Court No. 2 of Travis County on October 1, 2023, and would give the court primary responsibility for mental health matters. The bill would assign the county clerk certain duties related to the statutory probate courts. The bill would create County Court at Law No. 2 of Waller County on January 1, 2023, and would provide the court's jurisdiction. The bill would create the 2nd Multicounty Court at Law composed of Bee, Live Oak, and McMullen Counties. The bill would set court jurisdictions, clerk assignments, and financial obligations for the court.
The bill would require a justice of the peace to submit an annual report to Texas Ethics Commission outlining the total amount of fees, commissions, and payments received during the year.
The bill would amend Section 92.0563, Property Code, which relates to tenant remedies in certain actions involving a landlord, to cap at $20,000 the amount a justice court may award a tenant, excluding interests and costs.
The bill would permit the Grayson County Commissioners Court to authorize certain judges to appoint criminal magistrates. The bill would outline appointment requirements, qualifications, compensation, magistrate jurisdiction, and powers and duties.
The bill would permit the presiding judge of an administrative judicial region to assign a visiting associate judge for Title IV-D cases or a visiting judge to perform duties of an associate judge only for certain reasons.
The bill would require a retired or former judge on a list maintained by the presiding judge of an administrative judicial region to file their signed oath statement required by the Texas Constitution with the Secretary of State.
The juvenile board of Montgomery County would be composed of the county judge, Montgomery County district judges, the statutory probate court judges, and county court at law judges.
The bill would add a new section to Government Code Chapter 52, applicable only to a county that provides and maintains certain court reporting equipment, providing that a county official or employee while transacting county business is exempt from fees authorized under Chapter 52.
The bill would provide that an indigent party is not required to pay costs associated with interpreter services unless the court has ordered the party to do so.