HB 44

By: McLaughlin
  H.B. No. 44
  A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
  AN ACT
  relating to the jurisdiction and operation of the County Court at
  Law in Atascosa County.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 25.0092, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (c-1) to
  read as follows:
         (a)  In addition to the jurisdiction provided by Section
  25.0003 and other law, and except as limited by Subsection (b), a
  county court at law in Atascosa County has concurrent jurisdiction
  with the district court in:
               (1)  Class A and Class B misdemeanor cases;
               (2)  family law matters;
               (3)  juvenile matters;
               (4)  probate matters; [and]
               (5)  appeals from the justice and municipal courts; and
               (6)  civil cases in which the matter in controversy
  exceeds the maximum amount provided by Section 25.0003 but does not
  exceed $1 million, excluding interest, statutory or punitive
  damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on
  the face of the petition, including:
                     (A)  a suit to decide the issue of title to real or
  personal property;
                     (B)  a suit for the enforcement of a lien on real
  property;
                     (C)  a suit for the trial of the right to property
  valued at $500 or more that has been levied on under a writ of
  execution, sequestration, or attachment; and
                     (D)  a suit for the recovery of real property.
         (c-1)  In addition to other assignments provided by law, a
  judge of the county court at law in Atascosa County is subject to
  assignment under Chapter 74 to any district court in Atascosa
  County.  A county court at law judge assigned to a district court
  may hear any matter pending in the district court.
         (d)  The judge of a county court at law shall be paid as
  provided by Section 25.0005 [a total annual salary set by the
  commissioners court at an amount that is not less than $1,000 less
  than the total annual salary received by a district judge in the
  county.  A district judge's or statutory county court judge's total
  annual salary does not include contributions and supplements paid
  by a county].
         SECTION 2.  Section 25.0092(a), Government Code, as amended
  by this Act, applies only to a case filed or proceeding commenced on
  or after the effective date of this Act.  A case filed or proceeding
  commenced before that date is governed by the law in effect on the
  date the case was filed or the proceeding was commenced, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.