Court Opinion

ID: 9664555
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-24 00:21:15.354859+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:15:07.220413
License: Public Domain

ON MOTION FOR REHEARING
On motion for rehearing, the State contends that the special judge was appointed in compliance with section 26.022 of the Government Code. In support of its contention, the State has filed a motion to supplement the record with the affidavit of Charles R. Herd, the former Hill County Judge. First, we note that according to the affidavit Judge Herd was not disqualified to try this cause. Thus, article 5, section 16, of the Texas Constitution does not apply. Nevertheless, as we noted on original submission, sections 26.022 and 26.028 of the Government Code contain several mandatory provisions independent of the constitutional prerequisite to the appointment of a special judge when the county judge is disqualified. Specifically, the record does not reflect that each counsel of record was given notice and accorded a hearing on the matter, or that the county judge considered the recommendations of the attorneys in his appointment of the special judge.
The State argues that a letter, dated February 27, 1991, gave Saylors notice of the appointment of a special judge. A notice issued contemporaneously with the appointment of a special judge hardly satisfies the statutory provision that “[ejach counsel of record is entitled to notice and hearing on the matter.” See Tex.Gov’t *773Code Ann. § 26.022(b) (Vernon 1988). Although the statute does not expressly require that the notice be given before the appointment of the special judge, the clear intent of the statute is for the attorneys to have an opportunity to agree on a special judge before one is appointed by the county judge. See id. § 26.022(c)(2).
The State also contends that the county judge properly excercised his discretion to appoint the special judge. Section 26.028 of the Government Code provides, “The county judge shall consider the recommendations of attorneys of the court as to the implementation of this subchapter and the accomplishment of its purposes.” Id. § 26.028 (emphasis added). Notwithstanding the mandatory language of the statute, the State suggests that the county judge’s discretion to appoint a special judge is no longer limited by the statutory requirement that the county judge give due consideration to the recommendations of attorneys. The former article 1933a, section 2(c), of the Revised Civil Statutes provided:
If the county judge finds that good cause exists therefor, he shall appoint a special county judge, at his discretion, except: (1) the person so appointed must be a duly licensed attorney at law; (2) the person so appointed must be the person agreed upon by all counsel of record in the pending matter, if they are able to so agree; and (3) due consideration shall be given by the court to such recommendations as may be made by the attorneys of such court for the further implementation of this Act and the accomplishment of the purposes hereof.1
The State argues that the replacement of the phrase “due consideration,” in article 1933a, with the word “consider,” in section 26.028, indicates that the legislature intended to give the county judge greater discretion in the appointment of a special judge. The State’s argument, however, is misguided. The act adopting Title 2 of the Government Code, which codified the former article 1933a of the Revised Civil Statutes, provided:
Section 27. LEGISLATIVE INTENT. This Act is enacted pursuant to Article III, Section 43, of the Texas Constitution. This Act is intended as a reco-dification only, and no substantive change in the law is intended by this Act.2
We hold that the legislature intended to retain the same limitations on the discretion of the county judge in the appointment of a special judge as were included in the former article 1933a.
Because the record does not reflect that the special judge was appointed in compliance with the mandatory provisions of sections 26.022 and 26.028 of the Government Code, we deny the State’s motion for rehearing.

. See Act of May 22, 1975, 64th Leg., R.S., ch. 475, § 2, 1975 Tex.Gen.Laws 1251, 1252, repealed by Act of May 17, 1985, 69th Leg., R.S., ch. 480, § 26, 1985 Tex.Gen.Laws 1720, 2048.

. Act of May 17, 1985, 69th Leg., R.S., ch. 480, § 27, 1985 Tex.Gen.Laws 1720, 2049.