HBA-BSM H.B. 3646 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3646
By: Kitchen
Judicial Affairs
4/10/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the jurisdictional limit in civil cases in Travis County
is between $500 and $100,000. In addition, county courts at law can only
seat six-person juries when a party requests a jury.  Many metropolitan
counties have either removed the jurisdictional limit or set limits at or
exceeding $250,000.  House Bill 3646 increases the maximum amount in
controversy for civil cases in the Travis County courts at law to $250,000,
and provides the option for a party to request a 12-member jury.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3646 amends the Government Code to provide that a county court
at law in Travis County has concurrent jurisdiction with the district court
in civil cases in which the matter in controversy exceeds $500 but does not
exceed $250,000 excluding interest, statutory or punitive damages and
penalties, and attorney's fees and costs as alleged on the face of the
petition.  The bill provides that in civil cases the jury is composed of
six members unless the amount in controversy exceeds $100,000, and a party
to the case files a written request for a 12-member jury no later than the
30th day before the date of the trial.    

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.