House Bill No. 44 amends Section 25.0092 of the Government Code to expand the jurisdiction of the County Court at Law in Atascosa County. The bill adds new provisions that grant the court concurrent jurisdiction with the district court over appeals from justice and municipal courts, as well as civil cases where the matter in controversy exceeds the maximum amount specified in Section 25.0003 but does not exceed $1 million. This includes various types of civil suits, such as those concerning title to property, enforcement of liens, and recovery of real property. Additionally, the bill introduces a new subsection that allows judges of the county court at law to be assigned to any district court in Atascosa County, enabling them to hear matters pending in those courts.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the compensation structure for the judge of the county court at law, specifying that their salary will be determined as provided by Section 25.0005, rather than being set at a fixed amount relative to the salary of district judges. The changes outlined in the bill will only apply to cases filed or proceedings commenced on or after the effective date of the Act, ensuring that existing cases are governed by the law in effect at the time they were filed. The Act is set to take effect 91 days after the conclusion of the legislative session.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 25.0092 (Government Code 25)