(a) An incorporated municipality with a population of 130,001 to 285,000 by ordinance may establish up to four additional municipal courts. 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.

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Terms Used In Texas Government Code 29.102

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • Population: means the population shown by the most recent federal decennial census. See Texas Government Code 311.005

(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 by ordinance may 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.