HB 1571: Bryan County; State Court; revise terms

The State Court of Bryan County, originally created in 1938 as the City Court of Pembroke and later amended in 1996, operates on a schedule of set terms during which it hears criminal and civil cases. This bill rewrites Section 11 of that original law to establish a new term schedule for the court. Under the bill, criminal trials would be held in four regular terms each year, starting on January 2 and on the first day of April, July, and October. Civil trials would be held monthly, starting the first day of each month. A jury would be summoned for the January, April, July, and October terms, and the chief judge or judges could summon a jury at other times if needed for pending cases. The change would take effect July 1, 2026.

• Rewrites Section 11 of the 1938 Act creating the State Court of Bryan County to set new court terms.
• Establishes four criminal trial terms per year, beginning January 2 and the first day of April, July, and October.
• Sets civil trial terms to occur monthly, beginning the first day of each month.
• Requires a jury to be summoned for the four criminal terms and allows judges discretion to summon juries at other times as needed.
• Sets the effective date of the changes as July 1, 2026.

This bill affects Bryan County residents and litigants with cases in the State Court of Bryan County, the judges and staff of that court, local attorneys who practice there, and jurors who may be summoned for the court's criminal terms.

Changing when the court holds its criminal and civil terms affects how quickly cases move through the system in Bryan County, when jurors are called to serve, and how attorneys and litigants schedule their court business locally.

• Section 1 revises Section 11 of the original 1938 Act to set four annual criminal terms starting January 2, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
• Section 1 also sets civil trials to occur monthly, beginning the first day of each month.
• Section 1 requires juries to be summoned for the four criminal terms, with judges given discretion to call juries at other times if needed.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as July 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 603
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-07House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)
7. 2026-03-27Senate Read and Referred (Senado)
8. 2026-03-25House Passed/Adopted (Cámara de Representantes)

• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)Patrocinador principal
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)
• Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes25 de marzo de 2026

   164 a favor, 0 en contra (8 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #754

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado31 de marzo de 2026

   45 a favor, 0 en contra (5 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #873

• Bryan County
• state courts
• court terms
• local legislation
• jury duty