The Texas court system is built in five levels: local Justice of the Peace and municipal courts at the bottom, county courts above them, district courts as the main trial courts, 15 intermediate courts of appeals, and two separate high courts at the top. That split at the top is what makes Texas unusual. The Supreme Court of Texas has the final word on civil and juvenile cases; the Court of Criminal Appeals has the final word on criminal cases. Only one other state divides its highest appellate authority this way. The whole structure comes from Article V of the Texas Constitution and involves more than 3,000 judges statewide.
Where Your Case Starts: Justice of the Peace and Municipal Courts
A traffic ticket, a code violation, or a small-dollar dispute usually lands in one of these two courts. Justice of the Peace courts hear Class C misdemeanors, which are fine-only criminal offenses, and civil cases where the amount at stake does not exceed $20,000.1Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 – Judicial Department That $20,000 ceiling is among the highest small claims limits in the country, and the simplified rules let many people handle their own case without a lawyer.2Texas State Law Library. Small Claims Cases
Municipal courts sit alongside the JP courts and share jurisdiction over fine-only state offenses committed inside city limits. What they alone can do is enforce city ordinances, with fines reaching $2,000 for fire safety, zoning, or public health violations and up to $4,000 for illegal dumping.3State of Texas. Texas Government Code Chapter 29 – Municipal Courts Judges at this level are not required to be licensed attorneys.
County Courts
Every one of the state’s 254 counties has a constitutional county court run by an elected county judge. These courts hear Class A and Class B misdemeanors, which can carry jail time. On the civil side, they share jurisdiction with justice courts in cases between $200 and $20,000 and with district courts in cases between $500 and $5,000.4State of Texas. Texas Government Code GOV’T 26.042 – Civil Jurisdiction They also handle probate matters, some mental health proceedings, and appeals coming up from justice and municipal courts.
In rural counties, the county judge often spends more time running county government than presiding over cases. Busier counties get extra help through statutory county courts at law, created by the legislature under Chapter 25 of the Government Code, with civil jurisdiction reaching $250,000.5Texas Public Law. Texas Government Code Section 25.0003 – Jurisdiction A handful of large counties also have Statutory Probate Courts that do nothing but estates, guardianships, and mental health commitments.
District Courts
District courts are the workhorses for serious matters. They have exclusive original jurisdiction over felony criminal cases, contested elections, divorce and custody, and suits over title to land.6Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 Section 7 – Judicial Districts Their civil jurisdiction starts at $500, so the same court that hears a modest contract dispute may also hear multimillion-dollar commercial litigation.
A felony case cannot reach a district court for trial without a grand jury indictment. Twelve citizens sit on the grand jury, and at least nine must agree that enough evidence exists to formally charge the defendant.7Texas Judicial Branch. Court of Criminal Appeals Opinion – Grand Jury Indictment Requirement Without it, the trial court has no jurisdiction to proceed. Misdemeanors skip that step and are filed directly by prosecutors.
Courts of Appeals
Texas has 15 intermediate courts of appeals that review trial court decisions for legal errors.8Texas Judicial Branch. About Texas Courts – Courts of Appeals The First through Fourteenth each cover a specific region and take both civil and criminal appeals. Three-justice panels review the trial record without hearing new evidence or testimony.
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals, created by the legislature in 2023, is the first new appellate court in Texas in nearly sixty years. It has statewide jurisdiction and hears only civil cases involving state agencies, state officers acting in their official capacity, and appeals from the Texas Business Court.8Texas Judicial Branch. About Texas Courts – Courts of Appeals The governor appointed its first justices, who face statewide election in November 2026. Death penalty cases bypass this level entirely and go straight to the Court of Criminal Appeals.
The Two High Courts
Because Texas splits its highest appellate authority, a lawyer arguing a contract dispute and a lawyer arguing a murder conviction are appealing to entirely different courts, with different judges and different traditions.
Supreme Court of Texas
The Supreme Court has a Chief Justice and eight justices. Its appellate jurisdiction extends to all civil cases, and its decisions are final except in criminal matters.9Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 Section 3 – Jurisdiction of Supreme Court The docket is largely discretionary: the justices pick their cases, and it takes at least four votes to grant review. The court also writes the Rules of Civil Procedure that every trial and appellate court in Texas follows, and it oversees regulation of the State Bar of Texas.
Court of Criminal Appeals
The Court of Criminal Appeals has a Presiding Judge and eight judges. It holds final appellate jurisdiction over every criminal case in the state. Most of its docket is discretionary, but one category is mandatory: every death sentence in Texas is automatically appealed directly to this court, skipping the intermediate courts entirely.10Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 Section 5 – Jurisdiction of Court of Criminal Appeals It also supervises habeas corpus proceedings in felony cases, the main route defendants use to challenge a conviction after their direct appeal has run out.
How Texas Judges Are Selected
Every Texas judge, from the local justice of the peace to the justices on both high courts, reaches the bench through partisan elections. Candidates run under party labels just like legislators and governors. Texas is one of a shrinking number of states that use partisan judicial elections at every level.
When a judge leaves office before the term is up, the governor appoints a replacement subject to Senate confirmation. That appointee serves until the next general election and then has to win the seat outright to keep it.
Qualifications and Retirement
The experience bar rises with the court. Justices on the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, and the courts of appeals must be at least 35 and have practiced law, served as a judge, or both for at least 10 years. District judges must be at least 25 with eight years as a practicing lawyer or judge.11Texas Secretary of State. Qualifications for All Public Offices All Texas judges face a mandatory retirement age of 75, raised from 74 by a constitutional amendment voters approved in 2023.12Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 Section 1-a – Retirement, Censure, Removal, and Compensation of Justices and Judges
Specialty Courts
Texas operates more than 200 specialty courts that try to address the reasons behind certain offenses rather than simply moving defendants through the traditional system. Most of these programs focus on substance use disorders and mental health, offering treatment and structured supervision instead of incarceration. Seven types are recognized by statute: adult drug treatment courts, family drug treatment courts, veterans treatment courts, mental health courts, commercially or sexually exploited persons courts, public safety employees treatment courts, and juvenile family drug treatment courts.13Texas Judicial Branch. Specialty Courts
Participants typically spend 12 to 24 months in a program that requires staying sober, avoiding new arrests, attending treatment, and appearing at regular court review hearings.13Texas Judicial Branch. Specialty Courts Each program must register with the Office of Court Administration and get written verification of compliance before operating.
Filing Electronically
If you need to file anything in a Texas district or county court, you are almost certainly doing it electronically. E-filing is mandatory for all attorneys in civil, family, probate, and criminal cases across the Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, courts of appeals, and every district and county court.14eFileTexas.Gov. Official E-Filing System for Texas Attorneys use an approved Electronic Filing Service Provider, either through the state portal at eFileTexas.gov or one of more than a dozen private providers.
Self-represented litigants are encouraged but not required to e-file. Some Justice of the Peace courts accept electronic filings as well, though the mandate does not reach them. If you are representing yourself and a court requires electronic filing, you can usually request an exemption for good cause.
Administrative Oversight and Judicial Conduct
The Office of Court Administration works under the direction of the Supreme Court and handles the operational side of the judicial branch, from budget preparation to studying court dockets and business practices across the state. It also staffs the Texas Judicial Council, the policymaking body for the branch.
Ethical accountability is separate. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct, an independent body created by Article V, Section 1-a of the Texas Constitution, investigates complaints of misconduct against any Texas judge and can issue private or public sanctions.12Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 Section 1-a – Retirement, Censure, Removal, and Compensation of Justices and Judges Grounds for discipline include persistent violation of Supreme Court rules, incompetence, violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct, and conduct that publicly discredits the judiciary. In the most serious cases the commission can recommend removal.