Tex. Local Government Code § 171.010
This is the official text of Tex. Local Government Code § 171.010, part of Texas’s Local Government Code — governs the powers and operations of Texas cities and counties.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 171.010. PRACTICE OF LAW.
Official statutory text
(a) For purposes of this chapter, a county judge or county commissioner engaged in the private practice of law has a substantial interest in a business entity if the official has entered a court appearance or signed court pleadings in a matter relating to that business entity.
(b) A county judge or county commissioner that has a substantial interest in a business entity as described by Subsection (a) must comply with this chapter.
(c) A judge of a constitutional county court may not enter a court appearance or sign court pleadings as an attorney in any matter before:
(1) the court over which the judge presides; or
(2) any court in this state over which the judge's court exercises appellate jurisdiction.
(d) Upon compliance with this chapter, a county judge or commissioner may practice law in the courts located in the county where the county judge or commissioner serves.
(b) A county judge or county commissioner that has a substantial interest in a business entity as described by Subsection (a) must comply with this chapter.
(c) A judge of a constitutional county court may not enter a court appearance or sign court pleadings as an attorney in any matter before:
(1) the court over which the judge presides; or
(2) any court in this state over which the judge's court exercises appellate jurisdiction.
(d) Upon compliance with this chapter, a county judge or commissioner may practice law in the courts located in the county where the county judge or commissioner serves.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Texas?
Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.