Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 22A.006. APPEAL. (a) An appeal from an appealable interlocutory order or final judgment of a special three-judge district court is to the supreme court. (b) The supreme court may adopt rules for appeals from a special three-judge district court. Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg.…

Sec. 23.001. JUVENILE JURISDICTION. Each district court, county court, and statutory county court exercising any of the constitutional jurisdiction of either a county court or a district court has jurisdiction over juvenile matters and may be designated a juvenile court. Acts 198…

Sec. 23.002. SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OF CRIMINAL TRIAL COURTS NOT CONDITIONED ON EXHAUSTION OF CIVIL REMEDIES. Unless expressly provided otherwise, the exhaustion of civil, including administrative, remedies is not a prerequisite to the vesting in a trial court of subject mat…

Sec. 23.101. PRIMARY PRIORITIES. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), the trial courts of this state shall regularly and frequently set hearings and trials of pending matters, giving preference to hearings and trials of the following: (1) temporary injunctions; (2) crimina…

Sec. 23.102. SECONDARY PRIORITIES. A matter not included in Section 23.101 shall be set at the discretion of the trial court in which the matter is pending, observing the following priorities: (1) precedence should be given to matters where delay will cause physical or economic i…

Sec. 23.103. EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS. Sections 23.101 and 23.102 do not affect a statute directing a specific court to give preference to cases involving that court's criminal jurisdiction, family law jurisdiction, or other specified jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec.…

Sec. 23.201. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "state bar" means the State Bar of Texas. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 833, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1994.

Sec. 23.202. UNIFORM JURY HANDBOOK; CONTENTS. (a) The state bar shall publish a uniform jury handbook that: (1) informs jurors in lay terminology of the duties and responsibilities of a juror; (2) explains basic trial procedures and legal terminology; and (3) provides other pract…

Sec. 23.203. DISTRIBUTION OF HANDBOOK. (a) The state bar shall distribute copies of the uniform jury handbook to each trial court of this state in sufficient numbers to meet the requirements of this subchapter. (b) The clerk of a trial court shall provide each juror in a civil or…

Sec. 23.204. CONFLICT WITH INSTRUCTION OR CHARGE. If a provision of the uniform jury handbook is in conflict with an instruction or charge of a trial judge in a case, the instruction or charge supersedes the provision of the handbook. Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 833, Sec. …

Sec. 23.301. ASSIGNMENT OF CERTAIN ELECTION PROCEEDINGS; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law or rule, the clerk of a district court in which a proceeding entitled to priority under Section 23.101(b-1) is filed shall docket the proceeding and, if more than one dist…

Sec. 23.302. DEADLINES IN CERTAIN ELECTION PROCEEDINGS. (a) Not later than 24 hours after the proceeding is filed, a judge to whom a case is assigned under Section 23.301(b) who wishes to be recused from the proceeding must, before recusal: (1) hear an application for any emergen…

Sec. 23.303. PROCEDURES RELATED TO MOTIONS FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT; ANNUAL REPORT. (a) The business court, a district court, or a statutory county court shall, with respect to a motion for summary judgment: (1) set the motion for a hearing by oral argument or by submission on a date…

Sec. 24.001. AGE QUALIFICATION OF JUDGES. A district judge must be at least 25 years old. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 24.002. ASSIGNMENT OF JUDGE OR TRANSFER OF CASE ON RECUSAL. If a district judge determines on the judge's own motion that the judge should not sit in a case pending in the judge's court because the judge is disqualified or otherwise should recuse himself or herself, the judg…

Sec. 24.003. TRANSFER OF CASES; EXCHANGE OF BENCHES. (a) This section applies only to counties with two or more district courts. (b) Unless provided otherwise by the local rules of administration, a district judge in the county may: (1) except as provided by Subsection (b-1), tra…

Sec. 24.004. SPECIAL JUDGE BY AGREEMENT OF PARTIES. If the parties agree on a special judge for the trial of a particular case, the clerk shall enter in the minutes of the court, as a part of the proceedings in the case, a record showing: (1) that the judge of the court is disqua…

Sec. 24.006. SALARY OF SPECIAL JUDGE. (a) This section applies to payment of salary to: (1) a special judge commissioned by the governor as provided by Article V, Section 11, of the Texas Constitution; and (2) a special judge agreed on by the parties as provided by Section 24.004…

Sec. 24.007. JURISDICTION. (a) The district court has the jurisdiction provided by Article V, Section 8, of the Texas Constitution. (b) A district court has original jurisdiction of a civil matter in which the amount in controversy is more than $500, exclusive of interest. Acts 1…

Sec. 24.008. OTHER JURISDICTION. The district court may hear and determine any cause that is cognizable by courts of law or equity and may grant any relief that could be granted by either courts of law or equity. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 24.009. JURISDICTIONAL AMOUNT IF PARTIES PROPERLY JOIN IN ONE SUIT. If two or more persons originally and properly join in one suit, the suit for jurisdictional purposes is treated as if one party is suing for the aggregate amount of all their claims added together, excludin…

Sec. 24.010. JURISDICTION OF FAILURE TO PAY OVER CERTAIN MONEY. The district court may hear and determine: (1) motions against sheriffs and other officers of the court for failure to pay over money collected under the process of the court or other defalcation of duty in connectio…

Sec. 24.011. WRIT POWER. A judge of a district court may, either in termtime or vacation, grant writs of mandamus, injunction, sequestration, attachment, garnishment, certiorari, and supersedeas and all other writs necessary to the enforcement of the court's jurisdiction. Acts 19…

Sec. 24.012. TERMS AND SESSIONS OF COURT. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) and Section 24.0125, notwithstanding any other law, each district court holds in each county in the judicial district terms that commence on the first Mondays in January and July of ea…

Sec. 24.0125. TERMS AND SESSIONS OF COURT FOLLOWING CERTAIN DISASTERS. Notwithstanding any other law, if a disaster, as defined by Section 418.004, precludes a district court from holding its judicial district terms in accordance with Section 24.012, the presiding judge of the ad…

Sec. 24.014. SPECIAL TERMS. (a) A district judge may set a time for and hold a special term in any county in his district. (b) The judge may impanel grand and petit jurors as provided by law. The jurors may be summoned to appear before the court at the time designated by the judg…

Sec. 24.015. PROCEDURE AT SPECIAL TERM. (a) Juries for special terms authorized by Section 24.014 shall be summoned in the manner provided by law for regular terms. (b) Any proceeding in a case that may be held at a regular term may also be held at a special term. (c) The followi…

Sec. 24.016. APPOINTED COUNSEL. A district judge may appoint counsel to attend to the cause of a party who makes an affidavit that he is too poor to employ counsel to attend to the cause. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 24.017. PROCEEDINGS IN MULTICOUNTY DISTRICTS. (a) This section applies in judicial districts that are composed of more than one county. (b) Except as provided by this section, the judge of a district court may, in any county in his judicial district: (1) hear and determine a…

Sec. 24.018. CERTAIN EFFECT OF DISTRICT REORGANIZATION. If the counties that compose a judicial district or the time or place for holding terms of a district court are changed by law: (1) the process and writs issued from the district court and made returnable to a term of court …

Sec. 24.019. EXPENSES OF DISTRICT JUDGE. (a) A district judge engaged in the discharge of official duties in a county other than the judge's county of residence is entitled to traveling and other necessary expenses, as provided by Chapter 660. (b) A district judge is entitled to …

Sec. 24.020. JURISDICTION OVER COMMISSIONERS COURT. The district court has appellate jurisdiction and general supervisory control over the commissioners court, with the exceptions and regulations prescribed by law. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 1.37, eff. Sept. 1, …

Sec. 24.021. INCOMPETENCY. For purposes of Article XV, Section 6, of the Texas Constitution, "incompetency" means: (1) gross ignorance of official duties; (2) gross carelessness in the discharge of official duties; or (3) inability or unfitness to promptly and properly discharge …

Sec. 24.022. EFFECT OF TRANSFER OF CERTAIN CASES FOLLOWING CREATION OF ADDITIONAL COURT. (a) On the creation of an additional district court in a county, an existing district court in the county may transfer to the new court a case regarding a child who is subject to the continui…

Sec. 24.023. OBLIGATIONS; BONDS. (a) When a case is transferred from one court to another, all processes, writs, bonds, recognizances, and other obligations issued by the transferring court are returnable to the court to which the case is transferred as if originally issued by th…

Sec. 24.024. FILING AND DOCKETING CASES. In a county with two or more district courts, the district judges may adopt rules governing the filing and numbering of cases, the assignment of cases for trial, and the distribution of the work of the courts as in their discretion they co…

Sec. 24.025. SUPPLEMENTAL COMPENSATION. (a) Unless otherwise provided by this subchapter, all district judges in a county are entitled to equal amounts of supplemental compensation from the county. (b) A district judge is entitled to an amount of supplemental compensation for ser…

Sec. 24.026. APPOINTMENT OF INITIAL JUDGE. On the creation of a new judicial district, the initial vacancy in the office of district judge is filled in accordance with Section 28, Article V, Texas Constitution. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 3.04, …

Sec. 24.027. GRAND AND PETIT JURORS. All grand and petit jurors selected in a county before a new district court is created or the composition of an existing district court is modified by an amendment to this chapter are considered to be selected for the new or modified district …

Sec. 24.028. CASES TRANSFERRED. If by an amendment to this chapter a county is removed from the composition of an existing judicial district and added to another existing or new judicial district, all cases and proceedings from that county that are pending in the district court o…

Sec. 24.029. PROCESSES, WRITS, AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS REMAIN VALID. (a) If by an amendment to this chapter a county is removed from the composition of an existing judicial district and added to another existing or new judicial district, or if an amendment to this chapter changes t…

Sec. 24.030. LOCATION OF COURT. (a) A district court shall sit in the county seat for a jury trial in a civil case. The commissioners court of the county may authorize a district court to sit in any municipality within the county to hear and determine nonjury trials in civil case…

Sec. 24.031. COURT OFFICERS. The prosecuting attorney, the sheriff, the district clerk, the bailiffs, and the other officers serving the other district courts of the county shall serve in their respective capacities for the courts listed in this chapter. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd …

Sec. 24.033. LOCATION OF PROCEEDINGS FOLLOWING CERTAIN DISASTERS. (a) Repealed by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 507 (S.B. 40), Sec. 17, eff. June 7, 2019. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, if a disaster, as defined by Section 418.004, precludes a district court from conducting…

Sec. 24.034. ASSIGNMENT OF CASES IN DISTRICT COURTS IN HIDALGO COUNTY. (a) All civil and criminal cases in the district courts in Hidalgo County shall be assigned and docketed at random by the district clerk using an automated system. (b) In assigning a case to a district court, …

Sec. 24.101. 1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT (JASPER, NEWTON, SABINE, AND SAN AUGUSTINE COUNTIES). (a) The 1st Judicial District is composed of Jasper, Newton, Sabine, and San Augustine counties. (b) In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the 1st District Court in Sabine and Sa…