District Judges’ and Felony Prosecutors’ Compensation
Senate Bill 2310 establishes a third salary tier for certain prosecutors who have been in office more than 12 years. If a state prosecuting attorney or state prosecutor has been in office for more than 12 years, he/she is entitled to receive a salary equal to the salary paid to a district judge with comparable years of service as the state prosecuting attorney or state prosecutor.
This bill went into effect Sept. 1, 2023.
Initial Disclosures in Family Law Matters
The legislature added Title VI, “Civil Procedure,” to the Family Code regarding initial disclosures. The statute also says, “Notwithstanding Section 22.004, Government Code, this chapter may not be modified or repealed by a rule adopted by the Texas Supreme Court.”
This bill went into effect Sept. 1, 2023.
Standardized Forms for Protective Orders
Several bills passed in the legislature this year have now mandated courts issue protective orders when a court finds that a party engaged in domestic violence in the past. Previously, courts were required to assess whether a party could reasonably be expected to commit domestic violence in the future before issuing a protective order.