33rd / 424th District Courts

(all references are to Gov't Code)
SUBCHAPTER E COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES
Sec. 52.051. Compensation of District Court Reporters.
(a) An official district court reporter shall be paid a salary set by the order of the judge of the court. This salary is in addition to transcript fees, fees for a statement of facts, and other necessary expenses authorized by law.

(b) The salary set by the judge may not be lower than the salary that official court reporter received on January 1, 1972.

(c) An order increasing the salary of an official district court reporter must be submitted to the commissioners court of each county in the judicial district not later than September 1 immediately before the adoption of the county budget for the next year. A commissioners court may allow an extension of this time limit.

(d) The official district court reporter may not receive:

(1) a salary that is more than 10 percent greater than the salary received during the preceding budget year without the approval of the commissioners court of each county in the judicial district if the court reporter serves in a county with a population of less than 1 million; or

(2) a percentage increase in salary in a fiscal year that is greater than the average percentage increase in compensation in that fiscal year to all other employees of the county in which the reporter serves if the court reporter serves in a county with a population of 1 million or more.

(e) A person appointed to succeed an official district court reporter may not receive a salary greater than the salary received by the person's predecessor in office.

Sec. 52.052. Compensation in the 222nd Judicial District.
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Sec. 52.053. Compensation of Hill County Official Court Reporter.
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Sec. 52.054. Apportionment of Salary.
(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), the salary of an official court reporter of a judicial district that is composed of more than one county shall be apportioned among the counties of the district. Each county shall pay a portion of the salary equal to the proportion that its population bears to the total population of the judicial district.

(b) The judge of the 31st Judicial District * * *.

(c) Nueces County * * *.

Sec. 52.055. Expenses of District Court Reporters.
(a) Each official or deputy court reporter of a district court in a district composed of more than one county is entitled to reimbursement in the amount prescribed by Subsections (b) and (d) for actual and necessary expenses incurred while engaged in official duties in any county of the state other than the county of the reporter's residence. This reimbursement is in addition to the reporter's regular salary.

(b) Travel expenses reimbursed under this section may not exceed 25 cents per mile for the use of private conveyances, traveling the shortest practical route.

(c) The expenses shall be reimbursed after the completion of each court term by the respective counties of the judicial district for which the expenses were incurred, each county paying the expenses incidental to its own regular or special term. The commissioners court of each county shall pay the expenses for which the county is responsible from the county general fund.

(d) The expenses reimbursed under this section are subject to annual limitations based on the size of the judicial district. A court reporter may not receive more than the maximum reimbursement amount set for the reporter's judicial district in any one year. The maximum reimbursement amount is as follows:

(1) if the judicial district contains two counties, the maximum reimbursement amount is $400;

(2) if the judicial district contains three counties, the maximum reimbursement amount is $800;

(3) if the judicial district contains four counties, the maximum reimbursement amount is $1,400; and

(4) if the judicial district contains five or more counties, the maximum reimbursement amount is $2,000.

(e) To receive reimbursement under this section, a court reporter must prepare in duplicate a sworn statement of expenses that is approved by the district judge. The reporter must file a copy of the statement with the clerk of the district court of the county in which the district judge resides.

(f) This section applies to any additional official or deputy court reporter whose services are required when a district court convenes in a special term. The county in which the special term is convened shall pay the expenses. These expenses are in addition to the expenses provided for the official or deputy court reporter of the district.

Sec. 52.056. Expenses of Visiting Court Reporters.
(a) An official or deputy court reporter of a judicial district who is required to leave the county of his residence to report proceedings as a substitute for the official court reporter of another county is entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary travel expenses and a per diem allowance of $30 for each day or part of a day spent outside his county of residence in the performance of duties as a substitute. These fees are in addition to the visiting reporter's regular salary.

(b) The commissioners court of the county in which the visiting reporter provides services shall pay the reimbursement and per diem allowance from the county general fund on receipt of a sworn statement by the court reporter that has been approved by the district judge presiding in the court in which the proceedings were reported.