Gov. Greg Abbott swore in the newly appointed judges to the Texas Business Court in Fort Worth on Thursday.
Created last year with the enactment of House Bill 19, the Business Court Division is intended to provide an efficient mechanism for businesses to swiftly resolve complex commercial disputes in Texas. The new courts are expected to accomplish this by having judges with business expertise in relevant areas, giving the judges more time and resources to spend per case, and having dedicated staff attorneys.
“Last year, I worked with the Texas Legislature to pass a law creating the first-ever Texas business courts, along with a centralized court of appeals, to resolve public law disputes and constitutional challenges that impact Texas businesses across our state,” said Abbott. “Today, I am proud to swear in the first judges to the Texas business courts. These experienced individuals will serve to ensure that Texas businesses will have a sophisticated and efficient process to resolve their disputes. I look forward to seeing the positive impact these courts will provide for a bigger, better Texas for generations to come.”
NBC 5 DFW reports on the swearing-in of the new judges in Fort Worth. Here’s the start of the story:
What’s being called the biggest shakeup to Texas courts in over a century became official in Fort Worth today.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott swore in the justices for the Texas Business Court, a new trial court system that will hear civil suits stemming from the corporate world. At the kickoff celebration, NBC 5 got answers from state leaders on the oversight the new system will have.
Texas’s 10 newest judges have been sworn into a legal system all their own.
At a ceremony at Texas A&M law school in downtown Fort Worth on Thursday afternoon, Governor Abbott took oaths of office from the justices of the Texas Business Court.
“I think the best way to sum it up is, it’s about time,” said Abbott.
Officials said the business court was a new statewide trial court system that would only hear civil cases connected to big industry, including issues involving corporations and their shareholders.
It became law on September 1 after House Bill 19 was passed by the Texas legislature.