AI-assisted research summary: This section sets salary rules for statutory county court judges and lets the commissioners court set salary and payment timing for judges who practice law privately.
Sec. 25.0005. JUDGE'S SALARY. (a) A statutory county court judge, other than a statutory county court judge who engages in the private practice of law, shall be paid a total annual salary set by the commissioners court at an amount that is not less than $1,000 less than the sum of the annual salary as set by the General Appropriations Act in accordance with Section 659.012 paid to a district judge with comparable years of service as the statutory county court judge and any state or county contributions and supplements paid to a district judge in the county, other than contributions received as compensation under Section 74.051. A statutory county court judge's total annual salary includes any state or county contributions and supplements paid to the judge. For purposes of this subsection, the years of service of a statutory county court judge include any years of service as: (1) an appellate court, district court, multicounty statutory county court, or statutory probate court justice or judge; (2) a full-time district court, multicounty statutory county court, or statutory probate court associate judge; or (3) a district attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney. (a-1) The minimum salary prescribed by Subsection (a) that is to be based on the annual salary of a district judge under Section 659.012(b) becomes effective on the first day of the county's fiscal year following the date the statutory county court judge accrues the years of service required for an increase in salary under Subsection (a). (a-2) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the maximum annual salary of a statutory county court judge is $1,000 less than the sum of the maximum combined annual salary from all state and county sources paid to a district judge entitled to a salary under Section 659.012(b)(2) and any longevity pay received by a district judge in accordance with Section 659.0445(d). (b) Subject to any salary requirements otherwise imposed by this chapter for a particular court or county, the commissioners court sets the salary of each statutory county court judge who engages in the private practice of law. (c) The salary shall be paid in: (1) equal monthly installments; or (2) equal biweekly installments if authorized by the commissioners court. (d) Notwithstanding Section 25.0001(a), this section prevails over any other law that limits a particular statutory county court judge to an annual salary of less than the amount provided by Subsection (a), but does not affect a salary minimum set by other law that equals or exceeds the amount provided by Subsection (a). (e) Repealed by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1301, Sec. 13(1), eff. October 1, 2007. (f) Repealed by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1301, Sec. 13(1), eff. October 1, 2007. (g) Repealed by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1301, Sec. 13(1), eff. October 1, 2007. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 4.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 746, Sec. 4, eff. Oct. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 144, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 80, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1119, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1572, Sec. 1, eff. Oct. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 616, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1301 (S.B. 600), Sec. 1, eff. October 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1301 (S.B. 600), Sec. 13(1), eff. October 1, 2007. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 194 (S.B. 560), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121 (H.B. 2384), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 2.001, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., 2nd C.S., Ch. 7 (H.B. 16), Sec. 2.03, eff. December 4, 2025.