Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 54A.302. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only with respect to: (1) a county court with jurisdiction over guardianship proceedings or protective services proceedings; and (2) a statutory county court with jurisdiction over: (A) guardianship proceedings, other than a co…

Sec. 54A.303. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW; CONSTRUCTION OF SUBCHAPTER. (a) Subchapter C applies to an associate judge appointed under this subchapter except to the extent of a conflict with this subchapter. (b) Nothing in this subchapter limits the authority of a court to which th…

Sec. 54A.304. APPOINTMENT. (a) The presiding judge of each administrative judicial region, after conferring with the judges of courts to which this subchapter applies in the region, shall determine whether those courts require the appointment of a full-time or part-time associate…

Sec. 54A.305. QUALIFICATIONS. (a) To be eligible for appointment as an associate judge under this subchapter, a person must: (1) be a citizen of the United States; (2) be a resident of this state for the two years preceding the date of appointment; and (3) be: (A) eligible for as…

Sec. 54A.306. TERM OF APPOINTMENT; TERMINATION. (a) An associate judge appointed under this subchapter serves for a term of four years from the date the associate judge is appointed and qualifies for office. (b) The appointment of an associate judge for a term does not affect the…

Sec. 54A.307. COMPENSATION OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE. (a) An associate judge appointed under this subchapter is entitled to a salary in an amount equal to 90 percent of the salary paid to a district judge as set by the General Appropriations Act. (b) The associate judge's salary shall b…

Sec. 54A.308. DESIGNATION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF HOST COUNTY. (a) Subject to the approval of the commissioners court of the proposed host county: (1) the appointing presiding judge of the administrative judicial region shall determine the host county of an associate judge appoin…

Sec. 54A.309. METHODS OF REFERRAL. (a) Guardianship proceedings or protective services proceedings shall be referred to an associate judge appointed under this subchapter by a general order issued by the judge of each court the associate judge is appointed to serve. (b) A general…

Sec. 54A.310. GENERAL POWERS OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE. (a) On the motion of a party or the associate judge, an associate judge may return a complex guardianship proceeding to the referring court for final disposition after recommending temporary orders for the protection of a ward. (b)…

Sec. 54A.311. JUDICIAL ACTION ON ASSOCIATE JUDGE'S PROPOSED ORDER OR JUDGMENT. If a request for a de novo hearing before the referring court is not timely filed or the right to a de novo hearing before the referring court is waived, the proposed order or judgment of the associate…

Sec. 54A.312. PERSONNEL. (a) The appointing presiding judge of an administrative judicial region or appointing presiding judges of the administrative judicial regions, by majority vote, as applicable, may appoint the personnel needed to assist an associate judge in implementing a…

Sec. 54A.313. SUPERVISION, TRAINING, AND EVALUATION OF ASSOCIATE JUDGES. (a) The office of court administration shall assist the presiding judges of the administrative judicial regions in: (1) monitoring associate judges' compliance with job performance standards, uniform practic…

Sec. 54A.314. FUNDING AND PERSONNEL. (a) The office of court administration may: (1) contract for available county and federal money from any available source; and (2) employ personnel, including investigators, auditors, court coordinators, and other judicial staff, necessary to …

Sec. 54A.315. ASSIGNMENT OF JUDGES AND APPOINTMENT OF VISITING ASSOCIATE JUDGES. (a) This subchapter does not limit the authority of a presiding judge of an administrative judicial region to assign a judge eligible for assignment under Chapter 74 to assist in processing guardians…

Sec. 54A.316. LIMITATION ON LAW PRACTICE. An associate judge appointed under this subchapter may not engage in the private practice of law. Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 627 (H.B. 79), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021.

Sec. 54A.317. IMMUNITY. An associate judge appointed under this subchapter has the judicial immunity of a district judge. All existing immunity granted an associate judge by law, express or implied, continues in full force and effect. Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 627 …

Sec. 54B.001. APPOINTMENT. The judge of the 229th District Court, with the approval of the Commissioners Court of Duval County, may appoint a full-time or a part-time associate judge to perform the duties authorized by this subchapter. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861…

Sec. 54B.002. QUALIFICATIONS. To be eligible for appointment as an associate judge, a person must: (1) be a resident of this state and Duval County; and (2) meet the requirements and qualifications to serve as a judge of the court to which the person is appointed. Added by Acts 2…

Sec. 54B.003. COMPENSATION. (a) An associate judge is entitled to the compensation set by the Commissioners Court of Duval County. (b) The salary shall be paid from the county fund available for payments of officers' salaries. (c) This section does not apply to an associate judge…

Sec. 54B.004. PRIVATE PRACTICE. A part-time associate judge may engage in the private practice of law, unless restricted on a finding that it is not in the public interest by the appointing judge. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 5.007, eff. Septembe…

Sec. 54B.005. TERMINATION OF SERVICES. (a) An associate judge serves at the will of the judge of the 229th District Court. (b) This section does not apply to an associate judge appointed under Chapter 54A of this code or Section 201.001, Family Code. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg.…

Sec. 54B.006. REFERRAL OF CASE. (a) The appointing judge may refer to an associate judge any aspect of a civil or criminal case involving a matter over which the referring court has jurisdiction in Duval County. (b) After notice to all parties of the time and place of hearing, an…

Sec. 54B.007. ORDER OF REFERRAL. (a) To refer cases to an associate judge, the referring court must issue an order of referral. (b) The order of referral may limit the power or duties of an associate judge. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 5.007, eff…

Sec. 54B.008. POWERS. Except as limited by an order of referral, an associate judge may: (1) conduct a hearing; (2) hear evidence; (3) compel production of relevant evidence; (4) rule on admissibility of evidence; (5) issue summons for the appearance of witnesses; (6) examine wit…

Sec. 54B.009. ATTENDANCE OF BAILIFF. A bailiff shall attend a hearing held by an associate judge if directed by the referring court. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 5.007, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54B.010. WITNESS. (a) A witness appearing before an associate judge is subject to the penalties for perjury provided by law. (b) A referring court may issue attachment against and may fine or imprison a witness whose failure to appear before an associate judge after being su…

Sec. 54B.011. REPORT TRANSMITTED TO COURT; NOTICE. (a) At the conclusion of any hearing conducted by an associate judge and on the preparation of an associate judge's report, the associate judge shall transmit to the referring court: (1) all papers relating to the case; and (2) t…

Sec. 54B.012. NOTICE OF RIGHT TO APPEAL. An associate judge shall give all parties notice of the right of appeal to the judge of the referring court. The notice may be given: (1) at the hearing; (2) by posting the notice inside or outside the courtroom of the referring court; or …

Sec. 54B.013. EFFECT OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE'S REPORT PENDING APPEAL. Pending appeal of the associate judge's report to the referring court, the associate judge's findings, conclusions, and recommendations are in full force and effect and are enforceable as an order of the referring c…

Sec. 54B.014. JUDICIAL ACTION ON ASSOCIATE JUDGE'S REPORT. After the associate judge's report is filed, and unless the parties have filed a written notice of appeal to the referring court, the referring court may: (1) adopt, approve, or reject the associate judge's report; (2) he…

Sec. 54B.015. DECREE OR ORDER OF COURT. If an appeal to the referring court is not filed or the right to an appeal to the referring court is waived, the associate judge's findings, conclusions, and recommendations become the decree or order of the referring court only on the refe…

Sec. 54B.016. APPEAL TO REFERRING COURT. (a) Any party is entitled to a hearing by the judge of the referring court if, not later than three days, computed in the manner provided by Rule 4, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, after the date the associate judge gives the notice requir…

Sec. 54B.017. APPELLATE REVIEW. (a) Failure to appeal to the referring court, by waiver or otherwise, on the approval by the referring court of an associate judge's report does not deprive any party of the right to appeal to or request other relief from a court of appeals or the …

Sec. 54B.018. JURY TRIAL DEMANDED. If a jury trial is demanded and a jury fee paid in a trial on the merits, the associate judge shall refer any matters requiring a jury back to the referring court for a full trial before the court and jury. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., C…

Sec. 54B.019. INAPPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER TO MASTERS APPOINTED UNDER RULE 171. Masters appointed by the referring court under Rule 171, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, have all the duties and powers set forth in the order of appointment and are not governed by this subchapter. …

Sec. 54B.020. IMMUNITY. An associate judge appointed under this subchapter has the judicial immunity of a district judge. Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 5.007, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54B.021. COURT REPORTER. (a) A court reporter is not required during a hearing held by an associate judge appointed under this subchapter. (b) A party, the associate judge, or the referring court may provide for a court reporter during the hearing. The record may be preserve…

Sec. 54B.031. APPOINTMENT. (a) A judge of the 51st, 119th, 340th, or 391st district court may appoint a full-time or part-time criminal associate judge to perform the duties authorized by this subchapter if the commissioners court of the county in which the court has jurisdiction…

Sec. 54B.032. APPLICABILITY. Except as provided by Section 54B.033, Subchapter A, Chapter 54A applies to a criminal associate judge appointed under this subchapter. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 7 (H.B. 16), Sec. 5.03, eff. December 4, 2025.

Sec. 54B.033. PROCEEDINGS THAT MAY BE REFERRED. (a) A judge may refer to a criminal associate judge any criminal case or matter relating to a criminal case for proceedings involving: (1) a negotiated plea of guilty or no contest and sentencing before the court; (2) a bond forfeit…

Sec. 55.001. EMPLOYMENT OF SECRETARY OR STENOGRAPHER. (a) If the commissioners court on request of the county judge determines that a secretary or stenographer for the county judge is necessary, the court shall enter an order authorizing the county judge to employ a secretary or …

Sec. 55.002. EMPLOYMENT IN JIM HOGG COUNTY. The county judge of Jim Hogg County may employ one person for stenographic and secretarial duties. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.

Sec. 56.001. JUDICIAL AND COURT PERSONNEL TRAINING FUND. (a) The judicial and court personnel training fund is an account in the general revenue fund. Money in the judicial and court personnel training fund may be appropriated only to the court of criminal appeals for the uses au…

Sec. 56.002. FEES COLLECTED BY CLERKS OF COURTS OF APPEALS. Fifty percent of the fees collected by the clerks of the courts of appeals under Section 51.207 shall be deposited in the state treasury in the judicial and court personnel training fund for the continuing legal educatio…

Sec. 56.003. USE OF FUNDS. (a) Unless the legislature specifically appropriates or provides additional money for purposes of this subsection, the court of criminal appeals may not use more than three percent of the money appropriated in any one fiscal year to hire staff and provi…

Sec. 56.004. ALLOCATION OF FUNDS. (a) The legislature shall appropriate funds from the judicial and court personnel training fund to the court of criminal appeals to provide for the continuing legal education of judges and court personnel in this state. (b) The legislature shall …