Rules for ending an associate judge’s employment depend on how many courts the judge serves, and certain events automatically end the appointment.
Sec. 54A.206. TERMINATION OF ASSOCIATE JUDGE. (a) An associate judge who serves a single court serves at the will of the judge of that court. (b) The employment of an associate judge who serves more than two courts may only be terminated by a majority vote of all the judges of the courts that the associate judge serves. (c) The employment of an associate judge who serves two courts may be terminated by either of the judges of the courts that the associate judge serves. (d) The appointment of the associate judge terminates if: (1) the associate judge becomes a candidate for election to public office; or (2) the commissioners court does not appropriate funds in the county's budget to pay the salary of the associate judge. (e) If an associate judge serves a single court and the appointing judge vacates the judge's office, the associate judge's employment continues, subject to Subsections (d) and (h), unless the successor appointed or elected judge terminates that employment. (f) If an associate judge serves two courts and one of the appointing judges vacates the judge's office, the associate judge's employment continues, subject to Subsections (d) and (h), unless the successor appointed or elected judge terminates that employment or the judge of the other court served by the associate judge terminates that employment as provided by Subsection (c). (g) If an associate judge serves more than two courts and an appointing judge vacates the judge's office, the associate judge's employment continues, subject to Subsections (d) and (h), unless: (1) if no successor judge has been elected or appointed, the majority of the judges of the other courts the associate judge serves vote to terminate that employment; or (2) if a successor judge has been elected or appointed, the majority of the judges of the courts the associate judge serves, including the successor judge, vote to terminate that employment as provided by Subsection (b). (h) Notwithstanding the powers of an associate judge provided by Section 54A.209, an associate judge whose employment continues as provided by Subsection (e), (f), or (g) after the judge of a court served by the associate judge vacates the judge's office may perform administrative functions with respect to that court, but may not perform any judicial function, including any power prescribed by Section 54A.209, with respect to that court until a successor judge is appointed or elected. Transferred, redesignated and amended from Government Code, Subchapter G, Chapter 54 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 6.02, eff. January 1, 2012.