What’s being called the biggest overhaul of Texas courts in a century officially went into effect today in Fort Worth.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott swore in judges for the Texas Business Court, a new court system that will handle civil lawsuits from the corporate world. At the kickoff ceremony, NBC 5 got answers from state leaders about the oversight the new system will have.
Texas’ 10 new judges were sworn in under a unique legal system.
Governor Abbott was administered the oath of office by judges of the Texas Commercial Court during a ceremony held at Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth on Thursday afternoon.
“I think the best way to sum it up is, it’s about time,” Abbott said.
Officials said the Business Court is a new statewide court system that will hear only civil cases related to large corporations, including matters involving companies and their shareholders.
House Bill 19 was passed by the Texas Legislature and became law on September 1st.
“I believe this is the most significant reform to our state’s judicial system since 1891,” said Texas Supreme Court Judge Evan Young of the 9th District.
Young said this is the last time the structure of the Texas court system has been changed.
Governor Abbott said at the ceremony that he pushed for the measure after learning that dozens of other states had already implemented similar systems.
“Texas must lead the way,” Abbott said. “We must be a leader in the nation, and we are expected to be a leader in the nation.”
Supporters said a business court would resolve companies’ major legal issues more quickly and contribute to the state’s continued economic development.
Republican state representative Andrew Marr was one of the leaders of the effort to establish a Texas Commercial Court.
NBC 5 asked how state leaders will keep these courts organized and ethical.
Under the new system, judges will serve two-year terms, but many corporate cases could last much longer than that.
NBC 5 asked if the two-year terms meant judges could be removed from cases midway through if their terms expired, to which officials said that wouldn’t happen because there are no term limits.
“The governor has planned and lined up great candidates to fill these positions,” said Marr, who represents the 53rd District, “and I think everyone in this room has the expectation that as long as these judges perform their duties, they will be reappointed.”
Judges in the Business Court system are not elected but appointed by the governor.
The Texas Commercial Court deals with large corporations that may be past or current political donors, so NBC 5 asked how state leaders can ensure court decisions don’t create the appearance of a conflict of interest.
In response, Marr said business court judges are subject to a more rigorous review process than other district judges, and any of their decisions can be appealed to the Court of Appeals or the Texas Supreme Court.
“There is a proper vetting process, and I am confident that everything we have observed over the past year will tell you that we will have no qualms about having a quality judge serve on this court,” Marr said.
The swearing-in ceremony took place Thursday, but the 10 justices still had one hurdle to overcome: Texas Commercial Court judges must be confirmed by the Texas Senate before they can begin hearing cases.
