Essay on The Texas Judicial System - 1414 Words

The Texas Judicial System The Texas Judicial System The Texas judicial system has been called one of the most complex in the United States, if not the world. It features five layers of courts, several instances of overlapping jurisdiction, and a bifurcated appellate system at the top level. The structure of the system is laid out in Article 5 of the Texas Constitution. The Texas Supreme Court and Texas Court of Appeals has a bifurcated appellate system at the highest level. Civil case appeals by the Texas Supreme Court, which also maintains the responsibility for licensing attorneys. For appeals on criminal cases those got to The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. In times where the Death Penalty is in question cases are†¦show more content†¦There are 14 courts of appeal and two of them are located in Houston the 1st and 14th Courts, both having concurrent jurisdiction over the same counties cases are to be assigned on a random selection basis but may be moved in order to equalize the docket. Also the 6th and 12th courts in East Texas, appellate districts overlap in four counties Gregg, Rusk, Upshur, and Wood. The set up in the East Texas districts has been heavily criticized as being friendly to forum shopping. The following the districts and cities they are located: 1st Houston, 2nd Fort Worth, 3rd Austin. 4th San Antonio, 5th Dallas, 6th Texarkana, 7th Amarillo, 8th El Paso, 9th Beaumont, 10th Waco, 11th Eastland, 12th Tyler, 13th Corpus Christi/Edinburgh, 14th Houston. The state trial courts of general jurisdiction are the district courts. The district court has exclusive jurisdiction on felony cases, as well as divorce cases, cases involving title to land, and election contest cases. It shares jurisdiction with the county courts, and in some case justice of the peace courts, for civil cases the lowest limit for hearing a case is a mere $200 in controversy, while in Justice of the Peace courts can hear cases up to $5,000. In a catchall provision it hears all cases in which jurisdiction is not placed in another trial court.Show MoreRelatedThe State Judicial Selection Process884 Words   |  4 Pages The State Judicial Selection Process Name: Course: Institution: Tutor Date: â€Æ' Each state within the United States of America (USA) has its own unique judicial selection process within its court system. The judicial processes vary from court to court depending on a particular state. This paper analyses these processes, the qualifications for selecting the judges and the steps for removing judges from office, as it applies in the USA states of New York and Texas. To begin with my state, theRead MoreHistory And The Texas Judiciary System1516 Words   |  7 PagesThe history of the Judicial System in Texas began in the early nineteenth century, specifically in 1836. Since then, it has gone under many changes in structure, the importance of certain roles, and many constitutional amendments. Because of all of these adjustments and layering, the Texas Judiciary System is one that is very complex and intricate with many separations and overlapping areas. One unique feature about Texas’s system is the bifurcated appellate system. This means that there are twoRead MoreThe State Of The Texas Government1280 Words   |  6 PagesThe Texas Government is composed of three branches, the executive, legislative, and judicial branch, similar to the federal government. 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Article One of the Texas Constitution contains a BillRead MoreThree Branches of the Texas Government Essays1628 Words   |  7 PagesIn my analysis of the Texas Constitution I will assess the three branches of our State Government, the Legislative Branch, Executive Branch and finally the Judicial Branch. Our State Government resembles our National Government in various ways but also in very different ways which we will review in this essay. I will identify a handful of criticisms and problems associated with the provisions in each of these branches of our State Government and identify sugge sted reforms that many feel are neededRead MoreA Discussion Of Constitutional Law And Its Relationship With Education1031 Words   |  5 Pageseducation. Texas has one of the longest Constitutions in the nation and reads similar to a statute. The Texas Constitution faces frequent amendments, additions, or deletions, some of which affect education, and the education system in Texas adapts with each amendment, addition, or deletion. Texas public education is created by the Texas Constitution which has set up the State Board of Education, the Texas Education Agency, and the Education Service Centers. Therefore, the ever evolving Texas ConstitutionRead MorePolitics in Texas1040 Words   |  4 PagesPolitics in Texas When we start to see how much changed Texas which is as complex and diverse, we realize the qualities that it has. Texas has a Constitution that defines and protects a history of conservative political thought and independent self. It is a place with great variety and diversity of population, millions and millions of people in a big state, big territory, racial origins, different cultures, traditions, ethnic diversity, interests, complex economic activities, extremely significant