Texas Statutes
Subchapter C. Provisions Relating to Particular Counties
Section 25.1802. Nueces County Court at Law Provisions

Sec. 25.1802. NUECES 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 (d), a county court at law in Nueces County has:
(1) the jurisdiction provided by the constitution and by general law for district courts;
(2) concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in disputes ancillary to probate, eminent domain, condemnation, or landlord and tenant matters relating to the adjudication and determination of land titles and trusts, whether testamentary, inter vivos, constructive, resulting, or any other class or type of trust, regardless of the amount in controversy or the remedy sought;
(3) concurrent jurisdiction with the district court over civil forfeitures, including surety bond forfeitures without minimum or maximum limitation as to the amount in controversy or remedy sought;
(4) jurisdiction in mental health matters, original or appellate, provided by law for constitutional county courts, statutory county courts, or district courts with mental health jurisdiction, including proceedings under:
(A) Subtitle C, Title 7, Health and Safety Code;
(B) Chapter 462, Health and Safety Code; and
(C) Subtitle D, Title 7, Health and Safety Code;
(5) jurisdiction over the collection and management of estates of minors, mentally disabled persons, and deceased persons;
(6) concurrent jurisdiction with the district court in all actions by or against a personal representative, in all actions involving an inter vivos trust, in all actions involving a charitable trust, and in all actions involving a testamentary trust, whether the matter is appertaining to or incident to an estate; and
(7) jurisdiction in all cases assigned, transferred, or heard under Sections 74.054, 74.059, and 74.094, Government Code.
(b) A county court at law has original concurrent jurisdiction with the justice courts in all civil and criminal matters prescribed by law for justice courts. Appeals from justice courts and other courts of inferior jurisdiction in Nueces County must be made directly to a county court at law.
(c) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
(d) A county court at law does not have jurisdiction of:
(1) felony cases, except as otherwise provided by law;
(2) misdemeanors involving official misconduct unless assigned under Sections 74.054 and 74.059, Government Code;
(3) contested elections; or
(4) except as provided by Subsection (r), family law cases.
(e) The judges of the county courts at law in Nueces County shall each be paid an annual salary equal to the amount that is $1,000 less than the salary paid by the state to a district judge in the county. The salaries shall be paid in the same manner and from the same fund as prescribed by law for the county judge.
(f) Repealed by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121, Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.
(g) Repealed by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121, Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.
(h) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
(i) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
(j) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
(k) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
(l) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
(m) A county court at law may not issue writs of habeas corpus in felony cases.
(n) The district clerk serves as clerk of a county court at law in cases enumerated in Subsection (a). The district clerk shall establish a separate docket for each county court at law. In matters of concurrent jurisdiction with the district court, the district clerk shall charge the same fees as are allowed in district court cases, except that in cases enumerated in Subsections (a)(2) and (a)(4) and in misdemeanor cases other than those involving official misconduct, the clerk may not charge higher fees than the fees charged by county clerks for similar cases.
(o) If a jury trial is requested in a case that is in a county court at law's jurisdiction, the jury shall be composed of six members unless the constitution, Section 25.0007(c), or other law requires a 12-member jury. Failure to object before a six-member jury is seated and sworn constitutes a waiver of a 12-member jury.
(p) If any cause or proceeding is lodged with the district clerk and the district clerk files, dockets, or assigns the cause or proceeding in or to a county court at law and the county court at law does not have subject matter jurisdiction over the cause or proceeding, then the filing, docketing, or assignment of the cause or proceeding in or to a county court at law is considered a clerical error and that clerical error shall be corrected by a judgment or order nunc pro tunc. The cause or proceeding is considered filed, docketed, or assigned to the district court of the local administrative judge in the first instance rather than to a county court at law of Nueces County. The judge of a county court at law of Nueces County who acts in the cause or proceeding is considered assigned to the district court of the local administrative judge for that purpose and has all the powers of the judge of that district court under the assignment.
(q) Repealed by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3, Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
(r) In addition to the jurisdiction provided by this section for statutory county courts of Nueces County, the County Court at Law No. 5 of Nueces County has jurisdiction of:
(1) proceedings under Title 3, Family Code; and
(2) any proceeding involving an order relating to a child in the possession or custody of the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services or for whom the court has appointed a temporary or permanent managing conservator.
Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 4.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 746, Sec. 70, eff. Oct. 1, 1991; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 796, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 549, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 431, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1134, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 679, Sec. 2, eff. June 20, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121 (H.B. 4007), Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1121 (H.B. 4007), Sec. 2, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 3 (H.B. 79), Sec. 4.50(a)(71), eff. January 1, 2012.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 696 (S.B. 2342), Sec. 21, eff. September 1, 2020.

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