Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 26.314. STARR COUNTY. In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the County Court of Starr County has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil matters in which the justice courts have jurisdiction under general law. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., …

Sec. 26.315. STEPHENS COUNTY. (a) In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the County Court of Stephens County has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil matters in which the justice courts have jurisdiction under general law. (b) The dist…

Sec. 26.316. STERLING COUNTY. In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the County Court of Sterling County has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil and criminal matters in which the justice courts have jurisdiction under general law. Act…

Sec. 26.317. STONEWALL COUNTY. (a) In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the County Court of Stonewall County has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil matters in which the justice courts have jurisdiction under general law. (b) The te…

Sec. 26.320. TARRANT COUNTY. The County Court of Tarrant County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court and juvenile jurisdiction as provided by Section 26.042(b) but has no other criminal or civil jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 26.321. TAYLOR COUNTY. The County Court of Taylor County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court and juvenile jurisdiction as provided by Section 26.042(b) but has no other criminal or civil jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Ame…

Sec. 26.323. TERRY COUNTY. In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the County Court of Terry County has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil matters in which the justice courts have jurisdiction under general law. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., …

Sec. 26.327. TRAVIS COUNTY. The County Court of Travis County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court but has no other civil or criminal jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 26.328. TRINITY COUNTY. (a) The terms of the County Court of Trinity County begin on the first Mondays in January, April, July, and October and may continue for three weeks. (b) The commissioners court may change the court terms under Section 26.002. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch…

Sec. 26.330. UPSHUR COUNTY. (a) The County Court of Upshur County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court and has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in all other matters over which county courts are given jurisdiction by the constitution and general laws of t…

Sec. 26.336. WALKER COUNTY. The County Court of Walker County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court and juvenile jurisdiction as provided by Section 26.042(b) but has no other civil or criminal jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 26.337. WALLER COUNTY. The County Court of Waller County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court but has no other civil or criminal jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 26.339. WASHINGTON COUNTY. The County Court of Washington County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court but has no other civil or criminal jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 943, Sec. 10, eff…

Sec. 26.340. WEBB COUNTY. The County Court of Webb County has the general jurisdiction of a probate court and juvenile jurisdiction as provided by Section 26.042(b) but has no other civil or criminal jurisdiction. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 26.342. WHEELER COUNTY. In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the County Court of Wheeler County has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil matters in which the justice courts have jurisdiction under general law. Acts 1985, 69th Le…

Sec. 26.343. WICHITA COUNTY. (a) The County Court of Wichita County has general criminal jurisdiction, the general jurisdiction of a probate court, and juvenile jurisdiction as provided by Section 26.042(b) but has no other civil jurisdiction except as prescribed by Subsection (b…

Sec. 26.351. YOAKUM COUNTY. In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, the County Court of Yoakum County has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil matters in which the justice courts have jurisdiction under general law. Acts 1985, 69th Leg.…

Sec. 26.353. ZAPATA COUNTY. (a) The terms of the County Court of Zapata County begin on the third Mondays in February, May, September, and November and continue for three weeks or until the court has disposed of its business. (b) The commissioners court may change the court terms…

Sec. 27.001. BOND. Each justice of the peace must give a bond payable to the county judge, in an amount of not more than $5,000, and conditioned that the justice will: (1) faithfully and impartially discharge the duties required by law; and (2) promptly pay to the entitled party …

Sec. 27.002. COMMISSION; NOTARY. Each justice of the peace shall be commissioned as justice of the peace of the applicable precinct and ex officio notary public of the county. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 27.003. EFFECT OF PRECINCT BOUNDARY CHANGES. A person who has served as justice of the peace of a precinct for 10 or more consecutive years preceding a change in boundaries of the precinct is not ineligible for reelection in the precinct because of residence outside the prec…

Sec. 27.004. RECORDS AND OTHER PROPERTY. (a) Each justice shall arrange and safely keep all dockets, books, and papers transmitted to the justice by the justice's predecessors in office, and all papers filed in a case in justice court, subject to the public access requirements pr…

Sec. 27.005. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS. (a) For purposes of removal under Chapter 87, Local Government Code, "incompetency" in the case of a justice of the peace includes the failure of the justice to successfully complete: (1) within one year after the date the justice is first e…

Sec. 27.006. COLLECTING DEBT FOR ANOTHER; OFFENSE. (a) A justice commits an offense if the justice: (1) accepts for collection or undertakes the collection of a claim for a debt for another, unless the justice acts under a law that prescribes the duties of the justice; or (2) acc…

Sec. 27.031. JURISDICTION. (a) In addition to the jurisdiction and powers provided by the constitution and other law, the justice court has original jurisdiction of: (1) civil matters in which exclusive jurisdiction is not in the district or county court and in which the amount i…

Sec. 27.032. EXTRAORDINARY REMEDIES. A justice of the peace may issue writs of attachment, garnishment, and sequestration within the justice's jurisdiction in the same manner as judges and clerks of the district and county courts. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept.…

Sec. 27.033. OTHER POWERS. A justice of the peace may: (1) exercise jurisdiction over other matters cognizable before a justice of the peace under any law of this state; and (2) proceed with all unfinished business of the office as if the business had been originally begun before…

Sec. 27.034. DEED RESTRICTION JURISDICTION. (a) A justice court has jurisdiction of suits relating to enforcement of a deed restriction of a residential subdivision that does not concern a structural change to a dwelling. (b) The petitioner in a dispute concerning a deed restrict…

Sec. 27.051. TERMS OF COURT; PLACE FOR HOLDING COURT. (a) Each justice shall hold a term of court for civil business once each month and may transact such business out of termtime as is authorized by law. (b) Each justice shall hold the regular term of court at the justice's offi…

Sec. 27.0515. LOCATION FOR COURT PROCEEDINGS AND TERMS AND SESSIONS OF COURT FOLLOWING CERTAIN DISASTERS. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, if a disaster, as defined by Section 418.004, precludes a justice court from conducting its proceedings at a location in the court's precin…

Sec. 27.052. VACANCY OR ABSENCE. If the office of justice of the peace is vacant in a precinct or if the justice is absent or unable or unwilling to perform his duties, the nearest justice in the county may temporarily perform the duties of the office. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 4…

Sec. 27.054. EXCHANGE OF BENCHES. (a) A justice of the peace may hold court for any other justice in any county at the request of that justice. (b) The justices of any county may exchange benches for a period not to exceed five days if they consider it expedient. (c) A justice wh…

Sec. 27.0545. EXCHANGE OF BENCHES: INQUESTS. Text of subsection effective until April 01, 2027 (a) If a justice of the peace or the county judge of a county to which Subchapter A, Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies is not available to conduct an inquest into a person…

Sec. 27.055. SPECIAL AND TEMPORARY JUSTICES. (a) If a justice of the peace is disqualified from a civil case, is sick, or is absent from the precinct, the parties may agree on a person to try the case. If the parties fail to agree at the first term of the court after service is p…

Sec. 27.056. CLERK. (a) Each justice of the peace may designate one or more persons to serve as clerk of the justice court. (b) The clerk may administer oaths and affidavits and make certificates and affix the court's seal to those certificates. (c) The clerk shall: (1) maintain …

Sec. 27.057. CITATION. A clerk of a justice court may issue citation in the manner provided for justices of the peace by the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 802, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.

Sec. 27.058. CIVIL DOCKET. Information in the civil docket of a justice of the peace may be processed and stored by the use of electronic data processing equipment, at the discretion of the justice. Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 776, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1991.

Sec. 27.059. JUSTICE OF THE PEACE SEAL. (a) The commissioners court shall furnish to each justice of the peace a seal that has a star with five points in the center. The seal must also have "Justice Court, __________ County, Texas" and any applicable precinct number on it. (b) Th…

Sec. 27.060. SMALL CLAIMS. (a) A justice court shall conduct proceedings in a small claims case, as that term is defined by the supreme court, in accordance with rules of civil procedure promulgated by the supreme court to ensure the fair, expeditious, and inexpensive resolution …

Sec. 27.061. RULES OF ADMINISTRATION. The justices of the peace in each county shall, by majority vote, adopt local rules of administration. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 5.03, eff. January 1, 2012.

Sec. 29.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "municipality" means an incorporated city, town, or village. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 29.002. CREATION. A municipal court is created in each municipality. A reference in state law to a "corporation court" means a "municipal court." Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 29.003. JURISDICTION. (a) A municipal court, including a municipal court of record, shall have exclusive original jurisdiction within the municipality's territorial limits and property owned by the municipality located in the municipality's extraterritorial jurisdiction in a…

Sec. 29.004. JUDGE. (a) The judge and alternate judges of the municipal court in a home-rule city are selected under the municipality's charter provisions relating to the election or appointment of judges. The judge shall be known as the "judge of the municipal court" unless the …

Sec. 29.005. TERM OF OFFICE. The judge of a municipal court serves for a term of office of two years unless the municipality provides for a longer term pursuant to Article XI, Section 11, of the Texas Constitution. A municipal court judge who is not reappointed by the 91st day fo…

Sec. 29.006. TEMPORARY REPLACEMENT IN GENERAL-LAW MUNICIPALITIES. If a municipal judge of a municipality incorporated under the general laws of this state is temporarily unable to act, the governing body may appoint one or more persons meeting the qualifications for the position …