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Under current law, the parties may agree on a person to try a case if
the justice of the peace is disqualified from a civil case, sick, or absent. A
county judge may appoint a qualified person to temporarily serve as a justice
during the person’s disability.
HB 431 amends Government Code relating to the procedures of appointing a temporary justice of the peace. The bill would clarify that a county judge may at their own motion or at the request of a justice of the peace assign a replace to serve throughout the duration of the the justice of the peace’s absence.
The authority to make procedural changes to the rules regulating the administrative activities of local judges is within the legitimate responsibility of the state government. The provisions of this bill do not appear to have a connection to our liberty principles. Therefore, we remain neutral on HB 431.