Bill > HB5697

This bill expands the jurisdiction of county courts at law in Tom Green County, Texas by allowing them to have concurrent jurisdiction with district courts in family law cases and proceedings. Currently, county courts at law have specific jurisdictional limitations, but this bill would enable them to handle family law matters simultaneously with district courts. The bill specifies that this new jurisdictional provision only applies to cases filed or proceedings commenced on or after the effective date, which is September 1, 2025. Any cases filed before that date will continue to be governed by the previously existing legal standards. This change could potentially help reduce case backlogs in district courts and provide additional judicial resources for handling family law matters in Tom Green County by allowing county courts at law to share the judicial workload.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB5697