This section sets the 27th Judicial District’s county composition, gives Bell County concurrent jurisdiction with several other districts, sets court term start dates, and regulates grand jury impaneling and case transfers in Bell County.
Sec. 24.129. 27TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT (BELL AND LAMPASAS COUNTIES). (a) The 27th Judicial District is composed of Bell and Lampasas counties. (b) The 27th, 146th, 169th, 264th, 426th, and 478th judicial districts have concurrent jurisdiction in Bell County. (c) The terms of the 27th District Court begin: (1) in Bell County on the first Mondays in January, April, July, and October; and (2) in Lampasas County on the first Mondays in March and September and may continue in session until the Saturday night before the Monday on which the next session convenes. (d) A grand jury may not be impaneled in the district courts in Bell County except by special order of the presiding judge. (e) By order entered on the minutes of the court, the presiding judge of the district courts in Bell County may in his discretion, either in termtime or vacation, transfer any civil or criminal case to any of the other district courts. The order of transfer and all other orders made in the case shall be copied and certified by the clerk and the certified copies of the orders shall be filed with the papers of the transferred case. The additional fees caused by the transfer shall be taxed as part of the costs of the suit. When a cause is transferred, the clerk shall enter the cause on the docket of the court to which the transfer is made and the judge of that court shall try and dispose of the cause as if the cause had been filed in his court. Any of the judges may in his own courtroom try and determine any case or proceeding pending in any of the other courts without having the case transferred or may sit in any of the other courts and hear and determine any pending case. The judge hearing a transferred case shall indicate on the docket sheet and orders that he is sitting for that district. Two or more judges may try different cases in the same court at the same time, and each may occupy his own courtroom or the room of any other court. In case of absence, sickness, or disqualification, any of the other judges may hold court for him. All bail bonds, recognizances, or other obligations taken for the appearance of the defendants, parties, or witnesses in any of the district courts or in any inferior court in Bell County shall be binding on all the defendants, parties, and witnesses, and their sureties, in any of the courts in which the case is pending or to which the case is transferred. If a case is transferred, all process, bonds, recognizances, and obligations extant at the time of transfer shall be returned to and filed in the court to which the case is transferred and shall be valid and binding as if originally issued out of that court. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 1189), Sec. 8(b), eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 1189), Sec. 8(c), eff. January 1, 2007. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 934 (H.B. 3774), Sec. 1.01(a), eff. January 1, 2022.