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The Polk County justice courts’ local rules (Gov’t Code § 27.061), effective January 1, 2023: jurisdiction (civil debt/small claims to $20,000; residential and commercial evictions including writs of re-entry; fine-only criminal traffic and Class C offenses; animal cruelty/neglect; peace bonds; and other matters under Gov’t Code §§ 27.031–27.034); organization into four precincts each with its own clerks and posted docket; and bench exchange when a judge is unavailable (vacation, conference, medical need) so the courts’ work is not interrupted. Precinct 3 has its own supplemental local rules (folded here).
Texas > Polk County > all four Justice of the Peace precincts (Precinct 3’s supplemental local rules, TOPICs doc 858, folded here).
1.1 Objective: "These rules are put into effect to provide for the fair, impartial, and prompt disposition of matters properly before the Justice Courts of Polk County." 1.2 Scope: "These rules govern cases filed in the Justice Courts of Polk County, Texas. They are put into effect pursuant to Section 27.061 of the Texas Government Code." 1.3 Jurisdiction: "(a) Civil debt/small claims cases in which the amount in controversy is $20,000.00 or less (b) Eviction cases, both residential and commercial, including writs of re-entry. (c) Criminal offenses which are fine only, both traffic and Class C. (d) Cases involving animal cruelty and neglect. (e) Peace Bonds (f) All other cases permissible under Texas law, including Section 27.031-27.034 of the Texas Government Code." 1.4 Organization: four precincts, "Each court has its own clerks, which are responsible for setting cases on the individual docket of their court." 1.5 Calendar: dockets and hours posted; "when a judge is not available due to vacation, at a judicial or educational conference, or has medical or dental needs, it is the policy of the Justice Courts to exercise the Bench Exchange agreement so there will be no interruption in the work of each court."
Reviewer note: Image-only registration (7 pages) read through the vision lane; jurisdiction/organization/calendar provisions quoted verbatim. JP3’s precinct-specific rules (doc 858) folded as the precinct supplement. Composed benchpath-ajr2-trio.
Establishes a Traffic Violations Bureau within the Clerk of the County Court under Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.100(a) (Burnstein, C.J., Nov. 1, 1988).
Approves the National Highway Safety Council Defensive Driving course as a school to which traffic courts may require attendance (Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.110(a)).
Designates the D.W.I. Counterattack School (Broward County Commission on Alcoholism) as an approved school for court-ordered attendance (Fla. R. Traf. Ct. 6.110(a)).