Judicial Elections in Texas
Unlike states where judges are appointed or nominated by a commission, Texas elects almost all judges, except in cases of vacancies.
Judiciary of Texas
The Texas judiciary is the system of courts that that interprets and applies the law when crimes are…
County Courts at Law
County Courts at Law, also called Statutory County Courts, are a type of trial court presided over by…
Jury Trial in Texas
Jury trial in Texas is used to determine the guilt or innocence of a criminal defendant, or to…
Supreme Court of Texas
The Supreme Court of Texas is the highest civil appeals court in the State of Texas. It consists…
Municipal Courts in Texas
Municipal courts in Texas are the judicial organ of city government. They handle traffic cases, fine-only misdemeanors, truancy…
Justice of the Peace Courts
Justice of the peace courts, also called justice courts, are lower courts in Texas that have jurisdiction over…
Texas Judicial Council
The Texas Judicial Council is the policy-making body for the Texas judiciary, consisting of 24 members, including judges,…
Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct
The Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct is an independent state agency responsible for investigating allegations of judicial misconduct…
Specialty Courts
Specialty courts in Texas are established by county governments to handle a particular type of crime or certain…
State Bar of Texas
The State Bar of Texas is an agency of the Texas judiciary responsible for overseeing all attorneys licensed to practice…
State Prosecuting Attorney
The State Prosecuting Attorney is the highest criminal prosecutor in Texas, and the head of a very small…
Grand Jury
A grand jury is a group of 12 citizens selected by a court to consider allegations of potential…
Federal Courts in Texas
Federal courts in Texas hear cases that deal with violations of federal laws or the United States constitution,…
District Courts in Texas
District courts in Texas are trial courts where a judge or jury decides a criminal or civil matter.…
Texas Courts of Appeals
Texas Courts of Appeals are the intermediate appellate courts of the judicial system of Texas. They handle cases…
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest appeals court for criminal matters in the State of…
Office of Court Administration
The Office of Court Administration is an agency of the Texas judicial branch that operates under the supervision…
The Origins of Texas’ System of Two High Courts
Texas and Oklahoma are unique among the United States in having two courts of last resort, each with…
Probate Courts
Probate courts administer proper distribution of the assets of people who have died without a will, adjudicate the validity of wills, enforce the…