Texas § 54.2503 JURISDICTION.

Texas Statutes

§ 54.2503 — JURISDICTION.

Texas § 54.2503

Code GVGovernment Code

This text of Texas § 54.2503 (JURISDICTION.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tex. Government Code Code Ann. § 54.2503 (2026).

Text

Sec. 54.2503. JURISDICTION.

(a)Except as provided by this subsection, the criminal law magistrate court has the criminal jurisdiction provided by the constitution and laws of this state for county courts at law. The criminal law magistrate court does not have jurisdiction to:

(1)hear a trial of a misdemeanor offense, other than a Class C misdemeanor, on the merits if a jury trial is demanded; or

(2)hear a trial of a misdemeanor, other than a Class C misdemeanor, on the merits if a defendant pleads not guilty.

(b)The criminal law magistrate court has the jurisdiction provided by the constitution and laws of this state for magistrates. A judge of the criminal law magistrate court is a magistrate as defined by Article 2A.151 , Code of Criminal Procedure.

(c)Except as provided by this sub

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Sec. 54.2503. JURISDICTION. (a) Except as provided by this subsection, the criminal law magistrate court has the criminal jurisdiction provided by the constitution and laws of this state for county courts at law. The criminal law magistrate court does not have jurisdiction to:
(1) hear a trial of a misdemeanor offense, other than a Class C misdemeanor, on the merits if a jury trial is demanded; or
(2) hear a trial of a misdemeanor, other than a Class C misdemeanor, on the merits if a defendant pleads not guilty.
(b) The criminal law magistrate court has the jurisdiction provided by the constitution and laws of this state for magistrates. A judge of the criminal law magistrate court is a magistrate as defined by Article 2A.151 , Code of Criminal Procedure.
(c) Except as provided by this subsection, the criminal law magistrate court has the criminal jurisdiction provided by the constitution and laws of this state for a district court. The criminal law magistrate court does not have jurisdiction to:
(1) hear a trial of a felony offense on the merits if a jury trial is demanded;
(2) hear a trial of a felony offense on the merits if a defendant pleads not guilty;
(3) sentence in a felony case unless the judge in whose court the case is pending assigned the case to the criminal law magistrate court for a guilty plea and sentence; or
(4) hear any part of a capital murder case after indictment.
(d) A criminal law magistrate court may not issue writs of habeas corpus in felony cases but may hear and grant relief on a writ of habeas corpus issued by a district court and assigned by the district court to the criminal law magistrate court.
(e) A felony or misdemeanor indictment or information may not be filed in or transferred to the criminal law magistrate court.
(f) A judge of the criminal law magistrate court shall exercise jurisdiction granted by this subchapter over felony and misdemeanor indictments and informations only as judge presiding for the court in which the indictment or information is pending and under the limitations set out in the assignment order by the assigning court or as provided by local administrative rules.
(g) The criminal law magistrate court has concurrent criminal jurisdiction with the justice courts located in Brazoria County.

Legislative History

Added by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 934 (H.B. 3774 ), Sec. 5.03, eff. September 1, 2021. Amended by: Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504 ), Sec. 2.068, eff. January 1, 2025.