Government Code §53.001

In force on Sep 01, 2025 · this text took effect Sep 01, 2025 · same as today's text

MANDATORY APPOINTMENTS

(a) The judges of the 30th, 70th, 71st, 78th, 89th, and 161st district courts, the judges of the district courts having jurisdiction in Taylor County, the judges of the county courts at law of Taylor County, and the judge of the County Court of Harrison County shall each appoint a bailiff. (b) A district or statutory county court judge in Nueces County shall appoint a bailiff. (c) Each criminal district court in Tarrant County must have at least three bailiffs assigned regularly to the court. Each judge of a criminal district court in Tarrant County shall appoint two officers of the court to serve as bailiffs for his court. (d) The judge of the 97th District Court shall appoint a bailiff for each county in the district. At the discretion of the judge, a bailiff may serve the court in more than one county of the district. (e) The county sheriff shall appoint one bailiff for each district court in Tarrant County that gives preference to criminal cases and one bailiff for each criminal district court in Tarrant County in the same manner as authorized by law. (f) The appointment of a bailiff under this chapter does not affect the requirement under general law that the county sheriff furnish a bailiff for each court. (g) The judges of the district courts having jurisdiction in Potter and Randall counties and the judges of the county courts at law in Potter and Randall counties shall each appoint a bailiff. (h) The judges of the district courts having jurisdiction in Angelina County and the judges of the county courts at law of Angelina County shall each appoint a bailiff. (i) Repealed by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 431 (H.B. 3104 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025. (j) The judge of the 115th District Court shall appoint a bailiff to serve the court only in Upshur County. (k) The judges of the 244th, 358th, and 446th district courts shall each appoint a bailiff. (l) The judge of the 271st District Court and the judges of the county courts at law in Wise County shall each appoint a bailiff. (m) The judges of the 5th, 102nd, and 202nd district courts and the judges of the county courts at law of Bowie County shall appoint one or more bailiffs to serve the courts in Bowie County.

History: Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985. Amended by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 148, Sec. 2.71(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 8.29(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 16, Sec. 8.03(a), eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 401, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 546, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 868, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 853, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 932, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1136, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 575, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1352 (S.B. 1189 ), Sec. 1(d), eff. September 1, 2005. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 5 (S.B. 272 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 781 (H.B. 3972 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1342 (S.B. 1951 ), Sec. 20(a), eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 800 (H.B. 2310 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 912 (S.B. 1329 ), Sec. 6.01, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 972 (S.B. 2174 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 467 (H.B. 4170 ), Sec. 21.001(20), eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 431 (H.B. 3104 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 431 (H.B. 3104 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2025.

Source: the Legislature's file server, seen Sep 08, 2025 to Nov 08, 2026.

Every version on file

Effective Sep 01, 2025 · seen Sep 2025–Nov 2026
Effective Sep 01, 2019 · seen Dec 2019–Jun 2025
Effective Sep 01, 2017 · seen Sep 2018–Sep 2018

Attorney General opinions that cite it

KP-0201 (Dec 04, 2017): Authority of a Justice of the Peace to hire and supervise a bailiff-and-warrant officer
GA-1032 (Dec 17, 2013): Whether the Kleberg County commissioners court may create and fund an additional bailiff position for the 1 05th District Court
GA-1065 (Dec 11, 2013): Whether the Lottery Commission may deny or revoke an entity's bingo-related license based on the criminal history of an individual associated with that entity

A research copy. The official text is the Legislature's (statutes), the Secretary of State's (Texas Administrative Code) or eCFR's (federal rules). Not legal advice.