Texas Government Code 27.031 – Jurisdiction
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(a) In addition to the jurisdiction and powers provided by the constitution and other law, the justice court has original jurisdiction of:
(1) civil matters in which exclusive jurisdiction is not in the district or county court and in which the amount in controversy is not more than $20,000, exclusive of interest;
(2) cases of forcible entry and detainer; and
(3) foreclosure of mortgages and enforcement of liens on personal property in cases in which the amount in controversy is otherwise within the justice court’s jurisdiction.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 27.031
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Escheat: Reversion of real or personal property to the state when 1) a person dies without leaving a will and has no heirs, or 2) when the property (such as a bank account) has been inactive for a certain period of time. Source: OCC
- Foreclosure: A legal process in which property that is collateral or security for a loan may be sold to help repay the loan when the loan is in default. Source: OCC
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Justice: when applied to a magistrate, means justice of the peace. See Texas Government Code 312.011
- Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
- Personal property: All property that is not real property.
- Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(b) A justice court does not have jurisdiction of:
(1) a suit in behalf of the state to recover a penalty, forfeiture, or escheat;
(2) a suit for divorce;
(3) a suit to recover damages for slander or defamation of character;
(4) a suit for trial of title to land; or
(5) a suit for the enforcement of a lien on land.
(c) A justice court has concurrent jurisdiction with a municipal court in cases that arise in the municipality’s extraterritorial jurisdiction and that arise under an ordinance of the municipality applicable to the extraterritorial jurisdiction under § 216.902, Local Government Code.
(d) A corporation need not be represented by an attorney in justice court.
(e) A justice court has concurrent jurisdiction with a district court and a municipal court of record over expunction proceedings relating to the arrest of a person for an offense punishable by fine only.