33rd & 424th District Courts

The Government Code, in the Judicial Districts Act of 1969, provides for the automatic (on anyone's motion including the Court) exchange of benches. The essence of it is that any district judge can hear cases on the docket of the other court, sign orders for one another, hear a portion of a case or matter for one another and then the court of record can finalize it, etc. Therelevant statute is set forth below. ( Emphasis added)

This "book" will document the statutes and procedures most relevant to the interplay between the 33rd and 424th Judicial District Courts, which have identical jurisdiction in the counties of Blanco, Burnet, Llano and San Saba.

   The following are excerpts from Senate Bill 1189 of the 79th Texas Legislature, regular session, creating the 424th Judicial District and affecting the interplay between the 33rd and 424th District Courts.

Attached is a press release recently sent to the media regarding the passage of SB 1189 creating the 424th Judicial District Court covering the counties of Blanco, Burnet, Llano and San Saba. (Adobe P

Art. 52.01. Courts of Inquiry conducted by district judges

(a) When a judge of any district court of this state, acting in his capacity as magistrate, has probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed against the laws of this state, he may request that the presiding judge of the administrative judicial district appoint a district judge to commence a Court of Inquiry. The judge, who shall be appointed in accordance with Subsection (b), may summon and examine any witness in relation to the offense in accordance with the rules hereinafter provided, which procedure is defined as a "Court of Inquiry".

§ 114.025. County Auditor's Monthly and Annual Reports to Commissioners Court and District Judges

(a) The county auditor shall make monthly and annual reports to the commissioners court and to the district judges of the county. Each report must show:

The frustrations from this year's budget process with the counties came full circle today. I got the final numbers from all four counties on what they did with my budget request regarding employee pay raises.

The budget process is burdensome for all district judges but is exacerbated by having to deal with four counties. I can make 16 trips on budgets during the annual budget cycle: (1) present the budget request, (2) go back again and re-explain, plead, fuss, etc, (3) meet with each county judge and the juvenile probation chief for the juvenile board hearings to adopt the budget, and (4) present that budget to the county commissioners. Times 4 counties = 16 trips. And if there are any problems on the juvenile budget -- add 4 more trips.