By Leslie Gibson

Herald-Banner Staff



Rockwall County was approved at the last minute this past session by the Texas legislature to have a second district court, to become activated in 2010.

“We were excited to be able to accomplish that,” said commissioner Dennis Bailey, who, along with County Judge Chris Florance and other commissioners stayed in touch with legislators on the bills affecting Rockwall County.

It took a team effort to get the Rockwall County district court into the final omnibus bill: omnibus meaning it included creation of many district courts in Texas.

The house version of the bill had included Rockwall County’s district court; the senate version did not, and other district court requests were struck as well.

As a result, the bill went to conference.

It wasn’t until after midnight that the conference committee version of the bill was “printed”, which meant the legislature had to have a special vote to suspend rules and allow it to be voted upon on May 28.

The committee recommended passage.

“We, your conference committee, appointed to adjust the differences between the senate and the house of representatives on HB 4833 have had the same under consideration, and beg to report it back with the recommendation that it do pass in the form and text hereto attached,” stated the conference committee report dated May 30, which went to the house and senate.

On that committee was Rep. Bryan Hughes of Marshall, who, after a visit with Rep. Jodie Laubenberg, had asked to be placed on the conference committee, Bailey said.

He was able to get the 439th Judicial District Court back into the conference version.

Conference committee included five members of both the Senate and the House. “You want to be sure you have support from those conferees,” Bailey said.

The bill was signed by Governor Rick Perry on June 19.

HB 4833 includes the approval for the creation of the 439th Judicial District (Rockwall County), to become effective on Nov. 1, 2010.

Local officials do not know yet details on when a judge would be appointed to that judgeship by the governor, and for how long that appointee would serve, since a local election will be held at some point to fill the vacancy.

Elections are held in November and in May.

Committee members were, from the house of representatives, Todd Hunter of Austin; Hughes of Marshall; Armando Martinez of Weslaco; David Leibowitz of San Antonio; and Speaker Tom Craddick of Midland.

From the senate, the members were Jeff Wentworth of San Antonio; Robert Duncan of Lubbock; Juan Hinojosa of McAllen; Rodney Ellis of Houston; and Chris Harris of Arlington.

Arguments presented for creation of the second district court in Rockwall County, included that Rockwall County is one of the fastest growing counties in the state, and it has forecast a case load to merit the court.

Judge Brett Hall, of the 382nd District Court in Rockwall, submitted information which showed that between the years 2003-2008, the average population served per district court was 53,869.

Rockwall County had the sixth highest population being served: 73,810.

“Perhaps, more significantly, Rockwall County was number one in the state, among counties with the highest average annual growth rate in population served per district court from 2003 to 2008, leading the state with an average growth rate of 7.7 percent per year,” Hall noted in a February letter to Sen. Bob Deuell.

Of note, the two other of the seven counties growing the fastest in terms of population served by district court, were granted additional courts or court.

Thanks to HB 4833, Denton County will open its seventh district court in 2011, and each of its six district courts now serve an average of 102,000 population.

Getting its 27th district court is Tarrant County. Those 26 courts currently serve about 66,000 population each.

Though not in the fastest growing top 20 list, two other counties submitted and received approval for district court additions.

Bexar County is getting two; currently, its nine district courts serve about 66,000 people.

Midland County is getting one. It currently has four district courts.

In Rockwall County has also experienced a 13 percent increase in numbers of cases filed from 2005 to 2007, according to information from Hall’s office.

The county is planning that the Justice Center being designed now, open in 2010, and the two district courts and the county court at law will occupy one floor, with space for future courts to be developed as needed.