[1] District courts have original jurisdiction in all felony criminal cases, divorce cases, land title disputes, election contests, civil matters in which at least $200 is disputed or claimed in damages, as well as other matters.
[2] The Texas tradition of one judge per district court is descended from what was the dominant form of American state trial court organization for much of the 19th century, which Texas wrote into its state constitution.
[3] Although the relevant constitutional clause was amended in 1985 to no longer require one judge per court,[4] the tradition had become thoroughly entrenched.
[5] On June 9, 2023, Texas' governor signed an Act into law creating a trial level business court, as well as the first appellate level business court in the United States.
[9] In June 2024, the Governor began appointing Business Court Division judges.