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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the appointment of an associate judge in a family law |
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proceeding involving a name change. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 201.001(a) and (c), Family Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A judge of a court having jurisdiction of a suit under |
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this title, [or] Title 1, Chapter 45, or Title 4 may appoint a |
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full-time or part-time associate judge to perform the duties |
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authorized by this chapter if the commissioners court of a county in |
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which the court has jurisdiction authorizes the employment of an |
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associate judge. |
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(c) If more than one court in a county has jurisdiction of a |
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suit under this title, [or] Title 1, Chapter 45, or Title 4 the |
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commissioners court may authorize the appointment of an associate |
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judge for each court or may authorize one or more associate judges |
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to share service with two or more courts. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 201.005(a) and (d), Family Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by this section, a judge of a court |
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may refer to an associate judge any aspect of a suit over which the |
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court has jurisdiction under this title, [or] Title 1, Chapter 45, |
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or Title 4, including any matter ancillary to the suit. |
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(d) The requirements of Subsections (b) and (c) shall apply |
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whenever a judge has authority to refer the trial of a suit under |
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this title, Title 1, Chapter 45, or Title 4 to an associate judge, |
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master, or other assistant judge regardless of whether the |
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assistant judge is appointed under this subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. Section 201.018(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) If an associate judge appointed under this subchapter is |
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temporarily unable to perform the judge's official duties because |
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of absence or illness, injury, or other disability, a judge of a |
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court having jurisdiction of a suit under this title, [or] Title 1, |
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Chapter 45, or Title 4 may appoint a visiting associate judge to |
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perform the duties of the associate judge during the period of the |
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associate judge's absence or disability if the commissioners court |
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of a county in which the court has jurisdiction authorizes the |
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employment of a visiting associate judge. |
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SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a suit filed under Chapter 45, Family Code, on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A suit filed under Chapter 45, Family |
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Code, before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law |
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in effect on the date the suit was filed, and that law is continued |
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in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |