Sec. 29.103. MUNICIPAL COURTS IN EL PASO

(a) The City of El Paso by ordinance may establish additional municipal courts as needed. The judge of each additional court must meet the same qualifications and be selected in the same manner as provided in the city charter for the judges of the existing municipal courts. If the charter provides for the election of municipal judges, the governing body of the municipality may appoint a person to serve as judge in each newly created court until the next regular city election.

(b) The courts may hold concurrent or continuous sessions either day or night.

(c) Each court may exercise municipal court jurisdiction and has concurrent jurisdiction with the other municipal courts.

(d) Except as otherwise provided by the charter, the governing body may by ordinance establish:

(1) the qualifications for appointment as a municipal judge;

(2) the ability of a judge to transfer cases, exchange benches, and preside over any of the municipal courts;

(3) the office of the municipal court clerk, who shall serve as clerk of all the municipal courts with the assistance of deputy clerks as needed; and

(4) a system for the filing of complaints with the municipal court clerk so that the case load is equally distributed among the courts.

(e) Except as modified by this section, procedure before each of the courts and appeal from a decision of any of the courts are governed by general law applicable to municipal courts.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.