{"data":{"id":"us-tx/tex.-government-code-54.651","jurisdiction":"us-tx","citation":"Tex. Government Code § 54.651","heading":"APPOINTMENT.","body":"(a) The judges of the district courts of Tarrant County that give preference to criminal cases, the judges of the criminal district courts of Tarrant County, and the judges of the county criminal courts of Tarrant County, with the consent and approval of the Commissioners Court of Tarrant County, shall jointly appoint the number of magistrates set by the commissioners court to perform the duties authorized by this subchapter.\n(b) Each magistrate's appointment must be made with the approval of at least two-thirds of all the judges described in Subsection (a).\n(c) If the number of magistrates is less than the number of judges described in Subsection (a), each magistrate shall serve equally in the courts of those judges.\n(d) A magistrate appointed under this subchapter may not engage in the private practice of law, as defined by Section 81.101, in Tarrant County.\nAdded by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 81, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1987. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1147, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 910, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.\nAmended by:\nActs 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 861 (H.B. 3474), Sec. 4.007, eff. September 1, 2023.","path":["GOVERNMENT CODE","TITLE 2. JUDICIAL BRANCH","SUBTITLE D. JUDICIAL PERSONNEL AND OFFICIALS","CHAPTER 54. MASTERS; MAGISTRATES; REFEREES; ASSOCIATE JUDGES","SUBCHAPTER H. CRIMINAL LAW MAGISTRATES IN TARRANT COUNTY"],"source_url":"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.54.htm#54.651","current_through":"89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T01:47:16Z","sha256":"04097f4264b8e80b08e9470d5a2bf637bc5af1c58c3214679744d578894401fe","source_id":"us-tx","stale":false,"prev":"us-tx/tex.-government-code-54.312","next":"us-tx/tex.-government-code-54.653"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}