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Texas Statutes (Last Updated: January 4, 2014) |
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GOVERNMENT CODE |
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Title 2. JUDICIAL BRANCH |
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Subtitle A. COURTS |
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Chapter 27. JUSTICE COURTS |
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Subchapter C. CONDUCTING COURT |
Sec. 27.055. SPECIAL AND TEMPORARY JUSTICES
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(a) If a justice of the peace is disqualified from a civil case, is sick, or is absent from the precinct, the parties may agree on a person to try the case. If the parties fail to agree at the first term of the court after service is perfected, the county judge shall, on application of the justice or either party, appoint a qualified person to try the case. The disqualification, absence, or illness of the justice and the selection by agreement or appointment of another person to try the case shall be noted on the docket of the justice.
(b) If a justice is temporarily unable to perform official duties because of absence, recusal, illness, injury, or other disability, the county judge may appoint a qualified person to serve as temporary justice for the duration of the disability. The commissioners court shall compensate the temporary justice by the day, week, or month in an amount equal to the compensation of the regular justice. A temporary justice has all the rights and powers of the justice of the peace while serving in that capacity but may not make personnel decisions about, or significant changes in, the justice of the peace's office.
(c) In Subsections (b) and (f), "qualified person" means a person who has served as a justice of the peace for not less than 4 1/2 years and who has not been convicted of a criminal offense that involves moral turpitude.
(d) A person appointed under Subsection (b) or (f) may reside in a county other than the county in which the person is appointed as a temporary justice of the peace.
(e) The county judge may appoint any qualified voter under Section 11.002, Election Code, to serve as a temporary justice of the peace if the judge cannot find a qualified person who agrees to serve under Subsection (b) or (f).
(f) In a county that has a population of more than 800,000 and that has not more than five justices of the peace, the county judge may appoint a qualified person to serve as a temporary justice of the peace to hold court when necessary to dispose of accumulated business in the precinct. The county judge may designate the local administrative statutory county court judge to act on behalf of the county judge in making the appointment under this subsection.