Download - What can I do in County Court
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What can I do in County Courtby Judge Robert Ramirez
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Jurisdiction for CLL 2 in Denton County
• Civil cases up to $200,000
• Condemnation
• Appeals from certain agency decisions
• All ODL’s
• Appeals from the JP Courts
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JP Appeals
• The County Courts at Law hear appeals from JP Courts
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Forcible Detainer Actions
• Trial de Novo
• Elements• Landlord / tenant relationship
• Tenant can be evicted b/c he or she is a: holdover, at will, sufferance…
• Landlord has made proper demand for possession
• Period to vacate has expired
• Tenant has refused to surrender possession
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Other Civil JP Appeals
• Trial de Novo
• Be mindful of JP jurisdiction
• Can I add additional causes of action?
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ODL’s – Surcharges, Points & DWLI
• Petitioners need to pay off surcharges or get current on installments
• Liability insurance
• SR-22
• Willing to grant broad ODL’s in these case
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ODL’s – DWI Related
• CCL #2 assigned by all convicting courts
• Under 21
• Above .15
• 2nd or more
• Drug and Alcohol Evaluations?
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Ad Litems
• Guardian ad Litems for minors in PI cases
• Written Reports?
• Who pays?
• How do I get on the list?
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Special Commissioners
• Must own real property in Denton County
• Low frequency of filing
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MSJ’s in Contract Cases
• What’s the Court looking for?
• Where are the pitfalls?
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Pauper’s Affidavits
• Objections
• Presumptions
• Proof
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TWC and other Agency Appeals
• De Novo Review
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You don’t have criminal jurisdiction, do you?
• Free interchange of benches
• Alternate for Veteran’s Court
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Pro Se
• Do they get special treatment?
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Jury empanelment
• Disqualifications
• Exemptions
• Miscellaneous
• Medical Affidavits
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Electronic filing - Only
• Effective January 1, 2014
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Dismissal of Baseless Causes of Action
• TRCP 91a.1: May move to discuss a cause of action on the grounds that it has no basis in law or law• In law: “the allegations, taken as true, together w/ inferences
reasonably drawn from them, do not entitle the claimant to the relief sought” – Failure to state a claim
• In fact: “no reasonable person could believe the facts pleaded”
• 91a.2 Must state made pursuant to this rule
• 91a.3 Must be filed w/in 60 days of c/a• Filed 21 days before it is heard
• Granted or denied w/in 45 days
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• 91a.5 May nonsuit to avoid hearing
• 91a.6 No evidence except pleading exhibits
• 91a.7 Must award attorney fees and costs (unless respondent is gov’t)
• 91a.8 Filing does not waive special appearance or motion to transfer venue
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Expedited Actions
• Rules to promote the prompt, efficient, and cost-effective resolution of civil actions in which the amount in controversy does not exceed $100,000 (see Gov’t Code § 22.004(h))
• TRCP 47(c): Petition must state whether seek monetary relief of <$100K including costs, prejudgment interest and attorneys fees, <$500K, or >$1M.
• TRCP(c): If fail to do so, cannot conduct discovery
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• TRCP 169(b):Cannot recover judgment of more than $100K
• TRCP: 169(c): Court must remove from Expedited Action process upon showing of good cause
• TRCP 169(d)(2): Must set for trial w/in 90 days after discovery period
• TRCP 169(d)(3): Total trial time limit of 5 hours per side (excluding only time for objections and challenges for cause)
• •169(d)(4). Cannot order mediation w/o parties’ consent
• TRCP 169(d)(5): Expert challenges limited to SJ motions and trial
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• TRCP 190.2 Discovery limits• Discovery for 180 days after the first discovery request
• 6 hrs. for deposition cross-examination. Up to 10 hrs. by agreement
• 15 interrogatories, document requests, and admissions
• Disclosure requests may seek all documents other party “may use to support its claims or defenses.”
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Questions?