Venue and Jurisdiction

County Civil Courts at Law in Harris County have jurisdiction over all causes and proceedings, civil and criminal, original and appellate prescribed by law for county courts, except probate jurisdiction.

Jurisdiction has been further specialized to civil jurisdiction concurrent with the constitutional jurisdiction of the county court and concurrent jurisdiction with the district courts in civil cases in which the matter in controversy exceeds $500 but does not exceed $100,000, excluding interest, statutory or punitive damages and penalties, and attorney's fees and costs, as alleged on the face of the petition (Section 25.0003, Government Code).

Jurisdiction of the Harris County Civil Courts at Law has been further specified (Section 25.1032 Government Code):

appeals of civil cases from justice courts in Harris County;

appeals of final rulings and decisions of the Texas Worker's Compensation Commission;

exclusive jurisdiction in Harris County of eminent domain proceedings, both statutory and inverse, regardless of the amount in controversy;

suits to decide the issue of title to real or personal property;

suits to recover damages for slander or defamation of character;

suits for the enforcement of a lien on real property;

suits for forfeiture of a corporate charter;

suits for the trial of the right to property valued at $200 or more than has been levied on under a writ execution, sequestration, or attachment; and

suits for the recovery of real property.