The board must apply listed factors when reapportioning judicial districts, and the districts must follow county and contiguity rules.
Sec. 24.945. RULES AND CONDITIONS FOR REAPPORTIONMENT. (a) The reapportionment of the judicial districts of the state by the board is subject to the rules and conditions provided by Subsections (b)-(d). (b) Reapportionment of the judicial districts shall be made on a determination of fact by the board that the reapportionment will best promote the efficiency and promptness of the administration of justice in the state by equalizing as nearly as possible the judicial burdens of the district courts of the various judicial districts. In determining the reapportionment that best promotes the efficiency and promptness of the administration of justice, the board shall consider: (1) the numbers and types of cases filed in the district courts of the counties to be affected by the reapportionment; (2) the numbers and types of cases disposed of by dismissal or judgment in the district courts of those counties; (3) the numbers and types of cases pending in the district courts of those counties; (4) the number of district courts in those counties; (5) the population of the counties; (6) the area to be covered by a judicial district; and (7) the actual growth or decline of population and district court case load in the counties to be affected. (c) Each judicial district affected by a reapportionment must contain one or more complete counties except as provided by this section. More than one judicial district may contain the same county or counties. If more than one county is contained in a judicial district, the territory of the judicial district must be contiguous. (d) Subject to the other rules and conditions in this section, a judicial district in a reapportionment under this subchapter may: (1) be enlarged in territory by including an additional county or counties in the district, but a county having a population as large or larger than the population of the judicial district being reapportioned may not be added to the judicial district; (2) be decreased in territory by removing a county or counties from the district; (3) have both a county or counties added to the district and a county or counties removed from it; or (4) be removed to another location in the state so that the district contains an entirely different county or counties. (e) The legislature, the Judicial Districts Board, or the Legislative Redistricting Board may not redistrict the judicial districts to provide for any judicial district smaller in size than an entire county except as provided by this subsection. Judicial districts smaller in size than the entire county may be created subsequent to a general election in which a majority of the persons voting on the proposition adopt the proposition "to allow the division of ____________________ County into judicial districts composed of parts of ____________________ County." A redistricting plan may not be proposed or adopted by the legislature, the Judicial Districts Board, or the Legislative Redistricting Board in anticipation of a future action by the voters of any county. Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 2.19(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987.