Research on Texas Government

With Oklahoma, Texas has two courts of last resort and these are the only two states with such courts. The history of the Supreme Court of Texas can be traced from many years ago. This was in 1836 when the Constitution of the Republic of Texas established the court. It is made up of nine justices and they usually meet in Austin where they conduct the sessions of the court in a building located at the state Capitol grounds. A judge can serve in the court as the chief justice for a maximum of six years but this is can be renewed at the end of the term of service. Courts of appeal were allowed to issues written orders of mandamus in venue matters that had been specified.

The district courts judges who were acting as magistrates of courts of inquiry in the court of appeals district would receive written orders of mandamus also. This took effect in 1995. In 1997, the new Texas rules of appellate procedure set uniformity in the expiry dates of courts plenary power over the judgments of the court of appeal. The chambers system was established the following year and this saw every judge get a staff and a briefing attorney. Technology has played a great role in the way the court has turned to be more democratic as evidence can easily be found and the suspects brought to trial and they cannot deny it if the evidence is available. The decisions being made by the supreme court also indicate how democratic it has become over the years.