This section gives El Paso County district courts and county courts at law the same jurisdiction as the criminal law magistrate court, but limits where certain misdemeanor and felony filings may be made and when judges may exercise that jurisdiction.
Sec. 54.746. JURISDICTION OF JUDGES ON EL PASO COUNCIL OF JUDGES. (a) In addition to jurisdiction conferred by other law, each district court and county court at law in El Paso County has the same jurisdiction given to the criminal law magistrate court by this subchapter. (b) A misdemeanor information may not be filed in a district court under the grant of jurisdiction in Subsection (a). (c) A felony indictment or information may not be filed in a county court at law under the grant of jurisdiction in Subsection (a). (d) A judge of a county court at law in El Paso County shall exercise jurisdiction granted by Subsection (a) over felony indictments and felony informations and justice court cases only as a judge presiding for the court in which the felony or Class C misdemeanor is pending and only if the El Paso Council of Judges has so provided in the local administrative rules by a unanimous vote. The exercise of this jurisdiction outside El Paso County is as provided by Chapter 74 and other law. (e) A judge of a district court in El Paso County shall exercise jurisdiction granted by Subsection (a) over misdemeanor information and justice court cases only as a judge presiding for the court in which the misdemeanor is pending and only if the council of judges has so provided in the local administrative rules by a unanimous vote. The exercise of this jurisdiction outside El Paso County is as provided by the Court Administration Act (Chapter 74) and other law. (f) This subchapter does not grant jurisdiction over misdemeanors involving official misconduct to any court, and all those cases remain in the original jurisdiction of the district courts as provided by law. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 8.32(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1182 (S.B. 1139), Sec. 6.01(l), eff. September 1, 2015.