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Somervell County Texas

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Somervell County Texas - County Offices

Justice of the Peace

	Dwayne Griffin - Kenneth Taylor
254-897-2120		Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday
	Somervell County Annex 107 N.E. Vernon Glen Rose, TX 76043

ABOUT THE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

Justices of the Peaces (JPs) serve as trial court judge for three different kinds of civil lawsuits, as a trial court judge for Class C misdemeanors, and as an administrative court judge for a variety of miscellaneous court procedures. JPs are elected from precincts for four-year terms. Justices of the Peace also act as notaries public, hold inquests, and perform marriages.

JPs hear three different kinds of civil lawsuits

Evictions

Justice Civil (up to a $10000 limit)

Small Claims (up to a $10000 limit)

Eviction and Justice Civil cases are conducted according to the rules of civil procedure and evidence. Small claims court (the people's court) cases are not bound by the rules of civil procedure or evidence (the judge gets to ask questions). Post judgment proceedings on all three different types of civil cases are the same, with the exception of the actual eviction process itself, which has its own set of rules.

JP courts also adjudicate the class C misdemeanor criminal cases which are filed in their courts by the various state and county agencies which are authorized to write citations, i.e. DPS, sheriff's Department, Constable's Office, Game Wardens, Cosmetology Commission, Health and Water Departments, Plumbing Board, School Attendance offices, etc. A JP's duties also include matters such as driver's license suspension hearings, deed restriction cases, and disposition of stolen property hearings.

A JP is also a magistrate and those duties include matters such as adult and juvenile magistrate's warnings (on all classes of criminal offenses), arraignments on class C misdemeanors, magistrate's emergency protective orders, and signing of probable cause warrants.

If you are interested in getting married by a Justice of the Peace, please contact the JP office at 254-897-2120 for information on how they handle marriages.