This section sets Rockwall County county-court-at-law jurisdiction and assigns clerks, a local administrative judge, a court reporter, and a bailiff with specific duties.
Sec. 25.2012. ROCKWALL COUNTY COURT AT LAW PROVISIONS. (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 Rockwall County has, concurrent with the district court, the jurisdiction provided by the constitution and general law for district courts. (b) A county court at law does not have jurisdiction of: (1) felony cases involving capital murder; (2) suits on behalf of the state to recover penalties or escheated property; (3) misdemeanors involving official misconduct; or (4) contested elections. (c) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at law except that the county clerk serves as clerk of a county court at law in matters of mental health, the probate and criminal misdemeanor docket, and all civil matters in which a county court at law does not have concurrent jurisdiction with a district court. (d) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(79), eff. January 1, 2012. (e) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(79), eff. January 1, 2012. (f) Notwithstanding Sections 74.091 and 74.0911, a district judge serves as the local administrative judge for the district and statutory county courts in Rockwall County. The judges of district courts shall elect a district judge as local administrative judge for a term of not more than two years. The local administrative judge may not be elected on the basis of rotation or seniority. (g) When administering a case for a county court at law, the district clerk shall charge civil fees and court costs as if the case had been filed in a district court. In a case of concurrent jurisdiction, the case shall be assigned to either a district court or a county court at law in accordance with local administrative rules established by the local administrative judge. (h) The judge of a county court at law shall appoint an official court reporter for the judge's court and shall set the official court reporter's annual salary, subject to approval by the county commissioners court. The official court reporter of a county court at law shall take an oath or affirmation as an officer of the court. The official court reporter holds office at the pleasure of the judge and shall be provided a private office in close proximity to the court. The official court reporter is entitled to all rights and benefits afforded all other county employees. (i) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(79), eff. January 1, 2012. (j) Not later than one year after the date of appointment, the bailiff of a county court at law must obtain a peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. The sheriff of Rockwall County shall deputize the bailiff of a county court at law. The bailiff of a county court at law is subject to the training and continuing education requirements of a sheriff's deputy of the county. The sheriff shall remove from office a bailiff who does not receive a peace officer license within one year of appointment as required by this subsection. (k) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(79), eff. January 1, 2012. (l) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(79), eff. January 1, 2012. (m) In matters of concurrent jurisdiction, the judge of a county court at law and the district judge may exchange benches, transfer cases subject to acceptance, assign each other to hear cases, and otherwise manage their respective dockets under local administrative rules. (n) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(79), eff. January 1, 2012. Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 377, Sec. 5(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 4.38, eff. January 1, 2012. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 4.50(a)(79), eff. January 1, 2012. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 93 (S.B. 686), Sec. 2.19, eff. May 18, 2013. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 606 (S.B. 891), Sec. 2.12(b), eff. September 1, 2019.