Sec. 44.320. TARRANT COUNTY. (a) The criminal district attorney of Tarrant County shall attend each term and session of the criminal district courts of Tarrant County and each term and session of the County Court of Tarrant County held for the transaction of criminal business and shall represent the state in all matters before those courts. He shall represent Tarrant County in any court in which the county has pending business.

(b) The criminal district attorney has all the powers, duties, and privileges in Tarrant County that are conferred by law on county and district attorneys in the various counties and districts, except in a condemnation case in which the commissioners court hires special counsel to represent the county as provided by Subsection (d).

(c) The criminal district attorney shall collect the fees of office that are provided by law for similar services rendered by a district or county attorney.

(d) The Commissioners Court of Tarrant County may employ special counsel of its own choice, learned in the law, to represent the county in condemnation or eminent domain proceedings, to assist the commissioners court, the county engineer, or other county employees in preparing documents necessary in the acquisition of rights-of-way for the county or in the event that the county is required to obtain rights-of-way for state highways, or to assist the county in the acquisition of those rights-of-way. The commissioners court shall set the terms of the employment of special counsel as it considers proper. The commissioners court shall pay the compensation of the special counsel from the road and bridge fund of the county.

Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 480, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985.