Commissioners back phased addition of civil district courts after months of appeals from judges, lawyers
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Summary
Following an extended public comment period with judges, law firms and law students urging expansion, Commissioners Court approved a phased plan to add five civil district courts — three in 2026 and two in 2027 — as the first step of a larger request for nine new courts.
Harris County Commissioners Court on Feb. 27 approved a phased plan to add five civil district courts — three in 2026 and two in 2027 — after hours of public testimony from judges, the trial bar and law students about case backlogs.
Judges and members of the county bar urged the court to act this legislative session. "The numbers are clear," Administrative Judge Lauren Reeder told commissioners, citing filings and clearance rates: "In 02/2024 ... 55,000 cases were filed and the judges of my division cleared 55,000 cases. We had a 100% clearance rate." Reeder and other speakers said filings have been rising while the number of civil benches has not kept pace.
More than two dozen attorneys, judges and law students delivered public comments during the court's long speakers list, including Beau Miller, legislative chair for Harris County state district courts, who told the court that Austin is watching. "Austin is watching, the people of Harris County are watching, and the businesses across this nation are watching," he said.
Court administrators and judges presented an overall request for nine new district courts (five civil, three family and one juvenile) and an estimate of associated initial personnel and operating costs. Commissioners discussed budget constraints and the difficulty of identifying capital space for additional courtrooms in the downtown complex. Commissioners also noted the county—s fiscal limits and that some capital options (renovation, new family law center or interior buildout) would carry different cost and schedule implications.
Commissioner Lesley Briones made the motion to advance a more-limited, phased approach — five civil courts over two years — with a friendly amendment removing the family and juvenile courts from the immediate action and scheduling further budget and space work with county staff. The motion passed; the clerk recorded 3 votes in favor, 1 opposed and 1 abstention (per the official vote record), with Commissioner Briones moving and Commissioner Adrian Garcia seconding.
Court staff and judges were directed to continue work with county budget and facilities teams on capital costs and to pursue the legislative step required to create state-funded district court benches. Judges and bar leaders said they will continue to press for state action to create the remaining requested courts.
The court—s action is a county-level endorsement and scheduling decision; the actual creation of state district courts requires action in the Texas Legislature and subsequent staffing and facility arrangements if the state authorizes new benches.
