Opinion ID: 2834403
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: jurisdiction

Text: AIC contests the jurisdiction of the trial court, a county civil court at law in Harris County, to resolve what it characterizes as a title dispute. We consider this point first. AIC’s argument concerns the interplay between the amount-in-controversy limitations of the general jurisdictional grant to statutory county courts, [3] Tex. Gov’t Code § 25.0003, the exclusive jurisdictional grant to district courts for disputes involving title issues, Tex. Prop. Code § 21.002, and a more specific jurisdictional grant to statutory county courts in Harris County, Tex. Gov’t Code § 25.1032. Generally, the subject-matter jurisdiction of statutory county courts is limited to “cases in which the matter in controversy exceeds $500 but does not exceed $100,000.” Id. § 25.0003(c)(1). Without reference to amounts in controversy, the Texas Property Code requires a county court at law before which an eminent-domain proceeding is pending to transfer the case to the district court upon determining that the controversy involves “an issue of title.” Tex. Prop. Code § 21.002. Finally, section 25.1032 of the Government Code contains, in pertinent part, the following specific jurisdictional grant to Harris County civil courts at law: (a) A county civil court at law in Harris County has jurisdiction over all civil matters and causes, original and appellate, prescribed by law for county courts . . . (c) A county civil court at law has exclusive jurisdiction in Harris County of eminent domain proceedings, both statutory and inverse, regardless of the amount in controversy. In addition to other jurisdiction provided by law, a county civil court at law has jurisdiction to: (1) decide the issue of title to real or personal property