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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the jurisdiction and operation of the County Court at |
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Law in Atascosa County. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 25.0092, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (c-1) to |
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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, and except as limited by Subsection (b), a |
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county court at law in Atascosa County has concurrent jurisdiction |
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with the district court in: |
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(1) Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases; |
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(2) family law matters; |
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(3) juvenile matters; |
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(4) probate matters; [and] |
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(5) appeals from the justice and municipal courts; and |
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(6) civil cases in which the matter in controversy |
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exceeds the maximum amount provided by Section 25.0003 but does not |
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exceed $1 million, excluding interest, statutory or punitive |
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damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on |
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the face of the petition, including: |
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(A) a suit to decide the issue of title to real or |
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personal property; |
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(B) a suit for the enforcement of a lien on real |
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property; |
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(C) a suit for the trial of the right to property |
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valued at $500 or more that has been levied on under a writ of |
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execution, sequestration, or attachment; and |
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(D) a suit for the recovery of real property. |
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(c-1) In addition to other assignments provided by law, a |
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judge of the county court at law in Atascosa County is subject to |
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assignment under Chapter 74 to any district court in Atascosa |
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County. A county court at law judge assigned to a district court |
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may hear any matter pending in the district court. |
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(d) The judge of a county court at law shall be paid as |
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provided by Section 25.0005 [a total annual salary set by the |
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commissioners court at an amount that is not less than $1,000 less |
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than the total annual salary received by a district judge in the |
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county. A district judge's or statutory county court judge's total |
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annual salary does not include contributions and supplements paid |
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by a county]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 25.0092(a), Government Code, as amended |
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by this Act, applies only to a case filed or proceeding commenced on |
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or after the effective date of this Act. A case filed or proceeding |
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commenced before that date is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the case was filed or the proceeding was commenced, and the |
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former 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, 2025. |