{"data":{"id":"us-tx/tex.-civil-practice-and-remedies-code-31.004","jurisdiction":"us-tx","citation":"Tex. Civil Practice and Remedies Code § 31.004","heading":"EFFECT OF ADJUDICATION IN LOWER TRIAL COURT.","body":"(a) A judgment or a determination of fact or law in a proceeding in a lower trial court is not res judicata and is not a basis for estoppel by judgment in a proceeding in a district court, except that a judgment rendered in a lower trial court is binding on the parties thereto as to recovery or denial of recovery.\n(b) This section does not apply to a judgment in probate, guardianship, mental health , or other matter in which a lower trial court has exclusive subject matter jurisdiction on a basis other than the amount in controversy.\n(c) For the purposes of this section, a \"lower trial court\" is a small claims court, a justice of the peace court, a county court, or a statutory county court.\nActs 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 959, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 167, Sec. 3.07(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987.","path":["CIVIL PRACTICE AND REMEDIES CODE","TITLE 2. TRIAL, JUDGMENT, AND APPEAL","SUBTITLE C. JUDGMENTS","CHAPTER 31. JUDGMENTS"],"source_url":"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CP/htm/CP.31.htm#31.004","current_through":"89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T01:47:00Z","sha256":"240b7d23202357ddcf97b900ed767aa9e6c11389458d32d1a16c971baedeacc3","source_id":"us-tx","stale":false,"prev":"us-tx/tex.-civil-practice-and-remedies-code-31.003","next":"us-tx/tex.-civil-practice-and-remedies-code-31.005"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}