Sec. 74.094. HEARING CASES. (a) A district or statutory county court judge may hear and determine a matter pending in any district or statutory county court in the county regardless of whether the matter is preliminary or final or whether there is a judgment in the matter. The judge may sign a judgment or order in any of the courts regardless of whether the case is transferred. The judgment, order, or action is valid and binding as if the case were pending in the court of the judge who acts in the matter. The authority of this subsection applies to an active, former, or retired judge assigned to a court having jurisdiction as provided by Subchapter C.

(b) The judges shall try any case and hear any proceeding as assigned by the local administrative judge.

(c) The clerk shall file, docket, transfer, and assign the cases as directed by the local administrative judge in accordance with the local rules.

(d) Judges of district courts and statutory county courts may serve as masters and magistrates of courts, other than their own, subject to other provisions of law and court rules.

(e) A judge who has jurisdiction over a suit pending in one county may, unless objected to by any party, conduct any of the judicial proceedings except the trial on the merits in a different county.

(f) A pretrial judge assigned to hear pretrial matters in related cases under Rule 11, Texas Rules of Judicial Administration, may hold pretrial proceedings and hearings on pretrial matters for a case to which the judge has been assigned in:

(1) the county in which the case is pending; or

(2) a county in which there is pending a related case to which the pretrial judge has been assigned.

Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 674, Sec. 2.10, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 2, Sec. 8.40(a), eff. Aug. 28, 1989; Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 179, Sec. 2(d)(2), eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1551, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.